14

Encounter
oil on canvas

Writers, poets and even bloggers wax poetic about the changing seasons and how we should appreciate each season’s dynamic landscape, but translating and painting that seasonality and emotion onto a canvas is no easy feat.

Enter Southern artist, ZOE HERSEY who believes that nature is an event rather than just a visual appearance and paints branches, leaves and flowers that move across her canvases with purpose. I was introduced to Zoe’s portfolio by a friend who shares my interest in art and was drawn to the light and movement in Zoe’s work.

Interrupted Fall Scene
oil on canvas

Born in Alabama, Zoe uses special acrylic paints from France and Italy in her work and often layers an oil glaze on top for a unique effect. I’ve found the inspiration and meaning behind Zoe’s work to be really interesting, so I’ll let her describe the creative process in her own words.

Place of Peace
oil on canvas

“Nature is not just a landscape, but also the dynamism of visual elements–an event rather than an appearance.”

Rest
oil on canvas

“My paintings are a vision of nature poised against a romantic backdrop dealing with such themes as intuition, controlled passion, seduction, tragedy, transcedence, and the sublime.”

Unfurling Fern
oil on canvas

“My paintings are a comment on our relationship with ourselves and a reflection on the human condition.”

Untitled
oil on canvas