Aerial
Catherine Roseberry
enamel paint on wood
47" x 35" x 19"
contradictory, limitless, dreamy...
Framed by an open window, two adults watch a young girl walk a high-wire, oblivious to their concern.
blithe, capricious, exuberant...
In the soft morning light the girl balances gracefully with the aid of an open umbrella while the woman nervously tenses her body, alarmed at what might happen.
evolving, cryptic, tumultuous...
Eventually the early years of childhood evolve into a more complex time of development. A range of conflicting emotions govern the days of the older child and contribute to the uncertain nights of the parents. But the world surrounding her is new and exciting, and as she steps lightly into this unknown she—and her emotions—are transformed into the adult she will become.
The front of this four-drawer Deco chest shows the drama of this age-of-exploration scene. The sides are painted with a pattern of script, adjectives suggesting the complexity of the inner life of a child leaving childhood.
optimistic, infinite, aerial...