The Pinnacle of Oxford

1 week ago

The Storyteller

"I was invited to do a painting for the entry way into The Pinnacle. I first thought of landscapes, flowers, still lifes but really wanted to focus on the people here, their families and the staff. I wanted to create something that professed the value of the residents and the amazing life journeys they have accomplished. So down the proverbial 'rabbit hole' I went searching for ideas to express my thoughts. Wisdom was the repeated concept. Ancient civilizations placed great value on their elderly to be the leaders, solve problems, and pass on wisdom and values to the next generations.

A storyteller was the perfect vehicle to translate my ideas into a visual image. Oral traditions have been the primary means of passing along information since time began. Long before the written word, and around fire, under the stars a wise being held the attention of the gathering and shared stories and history.

The pieces were beginning to form: a night painting, understanding and using the Golden Ratio, a storyteller's hands (because movement of hands conveys the idea), color scheme, other individuals in the painting, perhaps children? Yes of course! They listen with their whole bodies. This process was long, lots of ideas, some discarded, some were 'happy accidents', trying to bring all these pieces together into one cohesive visual.

Inspiration came from Rebecca Jernigan, Oxford's local storyteller. James Webb Space Telescope, our granddaughter's kindergarten class, Rober Browning, poet, my personal collection of quotes, and my travels around the world.

by Gay Graeber 2024 ... See MoreSee Less

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