Respite - SOLD

2011
Polyptych of 4 Canvases
12 x 24 in. | 24 x 36 in. | 12 x 24 in. | 12 x 24 in.
Acrylic, Mixed Media (scrap paper, string, Styrofoam)
Sold

Collector’s Notes

Composition:
Four canvases align to form a sweeping tableau of birds perched and in flight across rhythmic horizontal lines. The background shifts in rich gradients — earthy browns, fiery reds, verdant greens, and sunset oranges — evoking the passage of seasons.

Symbolism:
The birds, sculpted from Styrofoam plates and attached to the textured surface, represent weary travelers pausing to rest. Their presence conveys stillness, companionship, and the universal need for renewal. The changing tones in the backdrop symbolize life’s cycles, while the repeated perches suggest continuity amidst transition.

Medium & Technique:
The work blends painting with assemblage. Acrylic colors, layered over paper textures, create depth and atmosphere, while string and Styrofoam add sculptural relief, giving the birds tangible presence.

Style & Story:
Rooted in both abstraction and symbolism, Respite reflects the artist’s ongoing exploration of textural mixed media. Where earlier works such as Namaste (2010) embraced spiritual symbolism, Respite turns to nature as metaphor, highlighting balance and harmony.

Emotional Connection:
Viewers are drawn to its sense of calm and quietude. The piece resonates as a reminder to pause amidst the busyness of life, to cherish still moments of companionship, rest, and self-care.

Context & Significance:
Created in 2011, this work marks the artist’s shift toward larger, multi-canvas compositions that create immersive experiences. It bridges personal reflection with universal themes, expanding her language of peace, renewal, and contemplation.

Message from the Artist

When I began Respite, I was longing for a sense of calm — a pause from the noise and demands of everyday life. Birds became the perfect carriers of that feeling. To me, they are symbols of freedom and perseverance, and here they are shown at rest, perched together after long journeys, savoring stillness.

The layered textures — acrylics, scrap paper, string, and even Styrofoam plates — were my way of grounding the piece in the tactile messiness of life. Yet, out of those rough materials, I wanted to create harmony: birds clustered in quiet company, each canvas flowing into the next, much like seasons shifting one into another. The gradation of colors carries that passage of time, from struggle to rest, dusk to dawn.

This work is deeply personal because it mirrors my own need for spaces of reflection. Just as the birds pause on the wires, I too seek balance in painting, reading, or simply being. It is a reminder that even fleeting moments of respite can restore us and carry us forward with renewed strength.