Luminous Color

To get the most out of Joan Gold’s work, you have to allow yourself to enjoy it fully with no complications. Art is not obligated to carry weighty meaning, moral or story. Much of it does, and that’s fine. View that artwork with your mind set to interpret symbols and understand story lines. But this art is not like that — it is purely a visual experience. It is the glory and wonder of rich color with no attachment to human history (or as little attachment to it as possible).

Consider that the emphasis on “meaning” in art is a relatively new and typically American approach. It stems from our devotion to an end product. “What does this do?” is the question by which many Americans judge the value of anything, including art. If it doesn’t have a specific purpose or fulfill a goal, than it is not as valuable. The idea that something could be valuable merely for its capacity to please, to soothe, to be enjoyed, rubs our work ethic the wrong way.

Work comes first; if there is time left over, we can play. And play is the privilege of those who worked hard to earn it. And work focused on the creation of beauty or enjoyment, is tantamount to play.

Joan puts in several hours a day, most days of the year, working toward the achievement of a certain quality of light and color, and developing ever new ways of producing it. She has an admirable work ethic, but it’s all devoted to the attainment of beauty. In her words, “The painting is done when it satisfies me.” Now there’s a nerve — she’s not even concerned with satisfying us, she’s satisfying herself!

Joan Gold’s work can be seen at the First Street Gallery, 422 First Street in Eureka, through Aug. 10. There will be an Arts Alive! reception there on Saturday, Aug. 2, from 6-9 p.m. You can also find out more about her at her website, www.joangold.com.

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Send your art news (six weeks in advance) to katherinealmy@northcoastjournal.com or write in care of the Journal at 145 South G Street, Suite A, Arcata, Calif., 95521.

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