The Use of a Myth
The Orchard is a figurative painting is based on a Roman myth of Vertumnus and Pomona.
In short, Vertumnus, the god of seasons, among others, disguises himself as an old woman and enters Pomona’s orchard whereupon he seduces her, which was a very Roman way of conducting oneself.
The orchard I have painted takes the form of a room dedicated to the art of trees. Here, Vertumnus and Pomona are divided by a sculpture of a dead tree. Their posture also indicates a division. He is entirely focused on his phone, while she stares ahead, challenging the viewer to read her mind. So this painting is a metaphor for a relationship, not only between two people, but also between them and their environment.
Pictorial Dynamics
There are formal considerations at play. A sense of symmetry is reinforced by the legs slanting away from the centre, which is dominated by the strong vertical of the tree. There is a connection between the figures and the paintings, which are stylistically different.
The chairs also differ. One is rectilinear while the other is curved. The man sits lower than the woman. Again, these stylistic devices suggest a division.
The paintings differ stylistically. One is impressionist, the other mimics stained glass, a device I used in All That We Strive For, a digital print.
This is a good example of how I often use prints to develop ideas that are later translated into paintings.