Jane Ziegler
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I never knew how exciting painting a landscape was until I moved to California. Upstate New York has beautiful soft, gently rolling hills, but now I have seen what real mountains look like here—jagged, majestic, and raw. I felt a thrill and a sense of awe painting here I had not felt before that made me think of the music of Shostakovich. His music is characterized by sharp contrasts, elements of the grotesque, and tonality, so when I experienced those dazzling rocky heights crashing down into deep, dark green canyons, his music washed over my heart, a powerful sensation that kept flowing all the while I painted. Especially evocative is the Kings River in Kings Canyon National Park with the high drama of snow melted by spring rains slashing through canyons, contrasted by my being able to find a quiet place near a gentle stream as it burbles by, an example of the area’s extensive variations of mood and tonality.
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For 25 years I was lucky to have lived near this magnificent National Park, which allowed me to ride my horses into the high country for weeks at a time to paint. The mountains were not the only inspiration that made me see and hear Shostakovich. The
Giant Sequoias glowing in the shadowy light were a major theme that I indulged in. Light has always been a factor in my paintings and the Sequoias provided ample opportunity to paint the variations of color and texture as it bounced around the
understory.
Giant Sequoias glowing in the shadowy light were a major theme that I indulged in. Light has always been a factor in my paintings and the Sequoias provided ample opportunity to paint the variations of color and texture as it bounced around the
understory.
These are some representative pieces. Please visit Trinidad Art Gallery for the latest available pieces.
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