Balancing Act
Catherine Roseberry
enamel paint on wood
45" x 36" x 22"
Supported by loving arms, a child balances on the shoulders of her parents while on a visit to the beach. A personal metaphor painted during the awakening independence of our own child, Balancing Act combines visual elements to underscore the solidity of the family unit. From the centrally placed triangular composition to the structural stability of the 1930s five-drawer chest itself, the emphasis is on strength and stability, despite the uncertainty of the world and the future.
The sides of the piece reinforce the notion of stability amid change through a repeating pattern adapted from a period textile, on which undulating curves flow around a multitude of triangles.
References for this work include paintings from Picasso’s Rose Period as well as his paintings and drawings of monumental figures during the early 1920s.