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How A Pear Tree Changed My Perspective On Art

It’s Not As Simple As It Looks

By Tonya NewmanPublished 3 years ago 3 min read
2

Art has never really been my thing. Walking through this gallery staring at the many canvases reiterates that to me. How do people rationalize spending thousands of dollars on this stuff? I look at the canvas in front of me, it’s an enormous painting of a simple pear tree. You could probably find something similar on a smaller scale at a thrift store for a dollar. You’re probably wondering why I’m at an art gallery at all considering my thoughts on it.

Here’s the thing. I work at a fancy magazine company and my boss is making me write an article on one of the up and coming creators featured here. I guess I’ll have to bullshit my way through this assignment. I begged her to let me do something more my style like a fashion show or even something outlandish like an elephant skilled in playing the drums. Anything but this. No dice.

After looking at each piece by the featured artist I decided I should source him out and do a quick interview for the article, surely that would take up the majority of my writing block, fingers crossed.

I started searching the room for you’re typical rugged, man bun, glasses, scarf wearing hipster. I was pleasantly surprised to instead find a clean looking tall young man wearing a polka dot button up shirt, faded blue jeans, a pair of worn navy converse, and a name tag reading “Jordan”. His back is turned to me as he answers questions from what looks to be a potential buyer, I start walking towards them.

“Excuse me” I interject “Not to interrupt but would you be interested in doing an interview?” I want to get this over and done with as fast as possible.

“Pardon me,” He says to his current audience as he turns to me. “Sure thing, let’s go somewhere a little less intrusive, perhaps the green room?”

I follow his lead to a little lounge room off to the side of the gallery. Despite the name I was surprised the room wasn’t actually green but beige, with a few black leather couches, the atmosphere was very chic. I guess I must have spent a little longer than I thought analyzing the room because Jordan just looks at me and smiles, “Well? What would you like to know?”

I flip to a new page in my notebook.

I spent a few minutes on the basics. He started pursuing a career in the arts because, and I quote, “I wasn’t great at anything else.” This young up and comer who’s caught the eye of renown art critics and the like around the world literally does this because he’s not good at anything else? Not cause he’s passionate or loves it, just because, meh, it’s a job. What? So after being pretty much dumbfounded at his answers to your normal interview run down I thought, what the hell, let’s go a little off script.

“Alright, so one last question, tell me a little about the pear tree painting? What inspired you? I found it a little…simple,” I say thinking this would get his back hairs up and show some more of his unusual character.

“You’re right! It is simple! And that was my point. I think a lot of people don’t see the value of simplicity. I wanted to show that in something that is seemingly overlooked. I mean have you ever seen a real pear tree? I haven’t. To you it may seem simple or basic. To me, I had to do some research to accurately paint each detail. I had to go through trial and error to find the right colours and pallets. For me that painting was probably one of the most challenging, time consuming, yet simple projects I have on display. Isn’t it funny how something that seems so trivial can actually be so much more complex than we imagine. Isn’t that kind of like life?” At that, I thanked him for his time, we shook hands, and I left.

I walked through the parking lot to my car, I sat and looked over my notes. Re-reading that last answer. How someone can explain a painting in such a real inspiring way kind of blows my mind. And for the first time in my life I felt a sort of appreciation for art, the painting was never really about a pear tree was it? It was so much more than that.

Short Story
2

About the Creator

Tonya Newman

Just an island girl who loves adventure. Trying to live my best life in this messed up, beautiful world. And writing along the way...

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