Here is the write up I did for my History of Women in Art class. I was unable to find a suitable piece of art at the Bishop Museum (see last blog).

SERENITY'S WINDOW

I have chosen a work of art titled "Serenity's Window", by Sandra Blazel. I was able to view and briefly talk to Ms. Blazel today, in the Hale'iwa Art Gallery. The gallery is located in the small beach town of Hale'iwa at 66-252 Kamehameha Highway, Hale'iwa, Hawaii.

Sandra Blazel grew up in Hawaii, specifically Manoa Valley on Oahu. The landscapes, beautiful plants, flowers, and trees were all part of her everday world. Ms. Blazel graduted from Puahou School in Honolulu, in 1975; from there she headed to the University of California where she majored in Painting, Drawing, and Graphic Arts. Ms. Blazel has received numerous awards and commissions; and continues to create art today. Sandra Blazel describes the content of her art as "old Hawaii"; allowing all that embodies Hawaii to take center stage in her work.

The painting I chose to concentrate on is titled "Serenity's Window". I chose this painting, honestly, because it was able to evoke an instantaneous emotion from me. I was drawn to the shutters. Just seeing the shutters took me back to my childhood visits at my Grandmother's house (I thought only the smell of Ivory soap could do that). My grandmother had similar shutters on her windows, and while the view didn't even come close to what Ms. Blazel portrayed, I remember looking out the window with the shutters swung open in the same fashion.

"Serenity's Window" was created in 2009. The painting was done in acrylics, one of the artist's favorite mediums. The painting is visually realistic; depicting the scene just as it could be in real life, right down to the shadows of the palm fronds that are cast on the shutters. The dark brown on the wall with the white shutters creates a cozy, warm feeling that a home would possess. The landscape outside is not as vivid and bright, lacking the intensity one would normally expect of Hawaiian waters, this makes me believe that the painting is depicting either early morning, or early evening, when the sun is not sitting as high. Coincidentally early morning and early evening are generally viewed as the most peaceful or serene time of the day, playing into the title of the painting. Taking all this into account, I can almost imagine someone sitting in front of the window with a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine (depending upon the time of day) in their hands, and charging up or relinquishing the stress of the day. Another possible reason for the diminished intensity of the water is that of atmospheric perspective, since the water is seen from a distance, it could possibly lack the intensity it contains when viewed closer. Chiaroscuro is used throughout a good portion of the painting, giving the walls and shutters dimension. This allows the viewer to accept the realism of the painting, as it creates a three dimensional mass that a normal window would have. I think there is a gendered interpretation of the subject, and I say this because there is the feeling of a home, versus that of just a house in the painting. There is also some linear perspective in the painting, which allows the viewer to acknowledge the realism. The slant of the windows and how they are sitting next to each other is a realistic view of someone who would be sitting down and to the right of the windows, it almost makes me believe that there could be a third window we don't see, and someone is sitting in a seat in front of it, and has just looked to their left.

I really loved the feeling that came with this painting, and enjoyed the visit to the Hale'iwa Art Gallery. Sandra Blazel has many other great paintings that can be seen by googling her or viewing Hale'iwa Art Gallery's web page at www.haleiwaartgallery.com.