“How does art connect us to the unseen?” That’s the question I want you to consider as we explore Between Earth and Sky – Number 8. This artwork invites us to step into an atmospheric space. It is a space that exists between nature and soul.
Between Earth and Sky – Number 8 is more than just a visual experience. It’s an exploration of the mysteries. It explores what lies between our physical world and our inner selves.
The artist Julie Schumer began her painting journey by seeking inspiration from the physical landscape around her. Every time she walked out her front door she was enveloped in spectacular beauty. This was an obvious choice for her. Later, she turned inward creating works of great emotional depth. These works were born of her own internal landscape. It was her way of more fully revealing herself to the viewer. More recently she has felt the pull back to an inclusion of elements of the physical landscape. She has begun a series of works exploring the mysteries of what lies between Earth and Sky. She is learning to live in that atmospheric, ambiguous space and fully stepping into it. These works are explorations in this developing series.
Other artists also explore this theme. One sculpture installation explores the liminal and unpresentable. It looks at how this is physically instantiated. The title references architectural theorist Christian Norberg-Schulz. He had a Heideggerian concept. We dwell poetically between earth and sky. The work extends this concept. It postulates that this concept of dwelling provides a mechanism of being with the artwork. This is at a level outside of language and thought. The work is a trace of the presentation of the infinite rather than its representation.
Marine de Soos is another artist who explores this concept. Her bronze sculpture “Between Sky and Earth” represents a man walking barefoot. He is simply dressed with a stick in his hands. The title introduces a spiritual dimension. It is often present in Marine de Soos’ pieces. For each sculpture the artist draws her inspiration from her souvenirs. They might be of African and Asian landscapes. Whatever the initial image, there is always an emotion attached.
Julie Schumer uses diverse painting tools. She adds diversity to her marks. She injects vitality and depth into her work. The goal is always a captivating and engaging painting. Her work is a study in contrasts and opposing forces. This results in a bold and dynamic painting. Her work is heavily layered with opaque and transparent paint. This alternates with drawing media. This overall effect is to invite the viewer into the world. It is the world of both the physical landscape as well as her internal landscape. Schumer says her gut tells her when a painting is finished. The rest of her body does too. She feels a complete inner peace. Her challenge in painting a diptych is to create two paintings. These can stand together or alone.
So, as you stand before Between Earth and Sky – Number 8, consider the invitation. Let the artwork spark your own journey. Explore the atmospheric space. Step fully into the mysteries between nature and soul.