Awareness Blog Post - Ethan Murrow
- myshazaidi
- Nov 22, 2024
- 2 min read
This article explains a bit about the meaning and symbolism of the floral arrangements in many of Murrow's works. The flowers are supposed to "overwhelm the subjects" and "cloud their senses and judgment".
I like the depth of these pieces. The backgrounds are distinguishable from the subject, even though both are very detailed. The shading, especially on the Garnering, is very well executed. It is clear that the subject is underwater and the piece seems to be in motion.
I felt the same way as the article, that the flowers represent clouded judgment. Garnering conveyed this theme well, and I felt like it was emotional. It seemed like someone was viewing the world through rose-tinted glasses, only to be thrust back into cold, hard reality.
I liked The Alchemist, but it was more stagnant than the other piece. I was able to gather from this piece that the subject was proud, and I appreciate the subtlety. This piece didn't seem as impactful as the Garnering, but it's still a great piece nonetheless.
The use of symbolism and motion can influence my art. Rather than drawing a subject standing still, I can draw subjects that are actively doing something. I can use surrealism to add symbolic elements to pieces. Together, these principles can bring more dimension, meaning, and storytelling to my art.
I wasn't able to find reactions to this piece online, but I had thoughts on it. I liked the use of color; it felt very light, abstract, and dream-like, contrasting against the darker, more realistic subject. I also liked the way Murrow incorporated organic/round shapes and few straight lines, which helped the subject and table stand out more.
I didn't like how the jacket was a similar color to the background. It made it harder to differentiate the two and a darker color would have helped it stand out more.
I can use the elements I described earlier in future pieces to draw more emphasis on my subjects or contrast any two things.
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