Name: Arlene Weinstock
Occupation: Colored-pencil and mixed-media artist and Torpedo Factory Art Center teacher
What I choose: “The Sentinel” by Philip Koch
Why: “The Sentinel” is a dynamic landscape paintings with glowing color. It takes confidence to draw or paint with a loose lyrical line, and Koch does it well. He is selective about the detail he includes.
In this painting, there is enough detail to give a sense of place, while leaving room for the viewer to fill in the rest of the story.
The narrative is told through composition, line, shape and creative use of color. It is a bright, cool autumn day at a train crossing in a rural area, and life is good.
The road across the bottom draws me into the space, and the white signal post brings me back to the foreground. The angle of the post is essential to counterbalance the strong diagonal of the road.
The white color makes it a dominant element against the darker foliage and deep sky. I appreciate the color contrasts and interaction of the shapes and textures that make up the trees and other foliage. The utility poles repeat the angle of the white post, and the wires counter the angle of the road. These compositional elements move the eye around this very pleasing picture.
