Dead River Valley

McIntosh’s painting uses not only a contrasting color palette but also a contrast of emotions. It brings to mind the precarious balance of life between good and bad. The painting embraces a hell scape of fire/trees on one side of the river and a lush green bank filled with embryonic movement on the other side.

Sarah e McIntosh’s "Dead River Valley" is a beautiful acrylic on canvas that’s meaning remains thoroughly open to interpretation. I love the autumnal and earthy color palette and flatness of the composition. Even leaving aside any conceptual appreciation and focusing solely on the visual impact, I am floored by the richness of the pigment, the depth of the color, and the economy of means that went into its creation. However, the painting becomes even more complex when considering conceptual meat. While the jutting red and orange dominating the upper part of the painting could be trees decked out in autumn colors, it could as easily be a raging wildfire. I see flames lapping at the night sky while birds and animals flee for safety across an expanse of green. Perhaps this interpretation is just a function of my own pessimism, but the ability to do so while simultaneously establishing other (often very optimistic) understandings is a testament to the complexity of the work.