Amy Crehore’s Mini-Monkeys
Now that there are 8 new Amy Crehore paintings to look at, I’m having a feast!
Wish the Blab! Show did not display paintings in a Pop Up window as those are much less search friendly; glad she also posts some of them on her own blog. One of the things that’s cool about the Mini-Monkeys is the way Amy Crehore signed her name (it’s just “C.”). Amy Crehore’s monkey paintings are so distinct that no one else could paint them.
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The thing that reels me in – I can “feel” the painting.Â
I’ve had that ability most of my life but did not know what it was. Certain artists just touch me ….. I feel their feeling. I feel that way when I look at Manet’s paintings.   I also have a similar (but not exact) feeling when I look at Amy Crehore’s paintings. A lot of “soul” goes into her work. I won’t say every painting is a masterpiece – no one can paint a masterpiece all the time – but some artists can paint at a certain level most of the time and Amy does that.
As a composition, take any area of this painting and look at it and you’ll see all sorts of decisions she made – and, and if you tuned in, the feeling and care that went into it.
Another thing that is her own way of composing….she makes the monkey’s legs almost human – both as a symbol AND as compositional balance – she needs those changes in color and tone to make it all work – you can look at all the different levels she’s working on at the same time in one painting.
Let’s just say there’s a lot of “heart” in these paintings and I can ”feel” it in every brushstoke -  care and love that went into the work – just the way I feel Manet’s feelings when I look at one of my favorite paintings – Woman with a Parrot.
