Nicolette Tsamos - Historical Context

        After reviewing the art history timeline and considering what I already know from these movements, I can identify with multiple periods including the Barbizon School, Earth Art movement, etc. Specifically, my work relates to that of the Barbizon School due to the presence of landscapes and natural spaces. Our landscapes around us can be an indicator of our social and political standings, making the documentation and analysis of them important. Théodore Rousseau's The Charcoal Burner's Hut is an observational painting done en plein air that captures the image of a tree and a small hut in the distance. Documenting landscapes through painting is different from a photographic perspective where the photo is taken as a still with everything exactly depicted as real life. Through painting, the essence of a space can be conveyed without the need for exactness. This can create a sublime quality in landscapes that I find captivating. In my practice, I plan to develop my ability to capture them and use them to convey messages about the condition of our environment as well, rather than just for visual pleasure and documentation purposes.

  

Pollination Garden, Richard A. Rutkowski Park, 2024            The Charcoal Burner's Hut