VARIATIONS ON A BLOOM
Deborah Sherman
Deborah Sherman paints flowers or rather she makes paintings that reference flowers– there’s a difference. “I’ve returned to this theme time and time again”, Sherman notes, “I paint landscapes, still lifes, and figures but floral compositions are an obsession.” Upon viewing these works one immediately senses a tension between the real versus an imagined world—a baited hook that pulls equally on the maker and the viewer. When one considers Sherman’s early artistic training and the instructors she gravitated to, this push-pull between realism and abstraction makes sense. She began taking classes with the celebrated realist Nelson Shanks (1937 – 2015) at the National Academy School; he advocated working from direct observation while employing a full-chroma palette to develop form and illusionistic space through subtle color transitions.
Sherman subsequently obtained an MFA from Parsons and studied with (among others) Leland Bell, Graham Nickson, and Peter Agostini who likewise advocated an experiential approach to picture making albeit with an emphasis on plastic expression and formalist concerns over realistic depiction. “Variations on the Theme”, depicted on the right, exemplifies this more modernist leaning. Though there are vestiges of recessional space and three-dimensional form, the painting succeeds in its celebration of natural form through an expressive emphasis on composition, color, and line. “Poetry means a lot to me”, Sherman adds, “it informs my way of thinking about the works and how I paint. So rather than being descriptive about working from nature—I try to evoke its fleeting appearances with mark-making that is both calligraphic and elusive.”
Though Sherman’s approach to the floral motif leans into the abstract, they evince a very real connection to nature and a commitment to its preservation. “My art isn’t overtly political and does not offer a narrative; it reflects my deep involvement and appreciation of the spirit of nature, my fascination with the sense of sight, and my belief in the importance of freedom of expression in art and the world. I felt great sorrow for all the suffering brought on during the pandemic. I began to see my work as having the potential to bring joy to the viewer and counteract the seeming insurmountable challenges we were all facing.”
The tondo “earth” shaped canvases often employed by Sherman in her flower series echoes her view on sustainability. She adds, “It’s my way of making a statement about my dedication to the preservation of the environment”. There is also a subtle feminist message being imparted. Like “Variations of a Theme”, “From My Studio” and “Flower Study” employ tondo shaped canvases—ovals that in tandem with Sherman’s energetic and weaving paint handling, floral motifs, and decorative patterning recall embroidery or tapestry.
Those illusions signal gender roles, binary thought and hierarchal positioning that amplify her messaging about personal expression, the aesthetics of beauty, and the sanctity of nature. Embroidery, tapestry, and other textile-related crafts are traditionally associated with women while painting, historically positioned as distinct from and in a cultural class above craft, has been seen as the province of men. Sherman manages to meld craft and painting into a singular expression– albeit a challenged one.
Our collective culture’s desire for spectacle, entertainment art, and high-tech shenanigans renders the type of hand-made art that Sherman creates as seemingly off-trend. In fact, her work is a siren call reclaiming the sensual and visual aspects of human existence– the very salve we need to balance deadening screen time and robotic scrolling. Sherman’s work requires us to deconstruct our prejudices and viewing habits, or at the very least be aware of them, by reenergizing a traditional motif and media with a direct and fresh infusion of contemporary meaning.