Eclectic Inheritance: a treasury in still lifes

Too often the objects we inherit languish in dusty cupboards, in drawers or basements, forgotten and unappreciated.  After years spent renovating my Victorian house, I found myself unpacking my own inherited trove. These were items that had escaped Marie Kondo style sweeps--escaped because they were storied and often beautiful, because they were tokens of my history and sparked, if not precisely joy, then at least a strong urge to paint.  Many of these inherited objects seem out of step with today’s pared down aesthetic.  I believe our collective rush to simplify is a style preference of necessity, an admission that a flourish, a gilded edge, a fluted piece of moulding, a hand-painted surface is an extravagance we no longer afford ourselves.  But as a painter, it’s the extravagant and historical that so often draws my eye.  In these still life paintings, the idea of inheritance extends beyond my home to other things I value: the inherited plants in my garden, the heirloom produce at the market, the chrysanthemums grown by a dahlia society to preserve unusual cultivars, the fountains and flowers in public parks and gardens, the public gardens themselves.  These things are small tokens of a collective culture, of human endeavour, of civilization itself.  These paintings depict my own modest treasury, but I hope they will resonate with anyone who has ever been charmed by the gilded rim of porcelain tea cup or the curve of a table leg.

— Shannon Reynolds

The paintings in this series are available at Village Studios, 24 Downie St. Stratford Ontario from June 27th, 2020.