A Forest of Infinite Meaning

Tis the last rose of summer left blooming alone; All her lovely companions have faded and gone. -Thomas Moore

Not unlike the silent yearnings that encamp along the edges of her art, Shira Sela has a way of invading our hearts through the gateway of our minds. This not to say there is nothing lovely to be found in her work. If anything, the depth and radiance of her subjects—a late blooming tree’s life exposed, resplendent against the verdant darkness of a troubled night sky, for example—are illustrative of the magic that stirs when a beautiful spirit brushes up against an unmistakable artistic gift. It’s the psyche, however, that is most immediately pricked by Sela’s surreal images. Does the young lady in Reading know she is figuratively marooned on a floating bed of thorns, or is such isolation a means to an end? And then there’s foreshadowing: Does the innocent wanderer facing down The Choice pause for reassurance, or does she even break stride on the forked path of flowering moss before her?

In some traditions, of course, such questions are the point of the art itself. Sela’s gallery of both Western and Eastern themes, however, resists easy categorization. The gentle suggestiveness and sparse, strategically colored landscape of Never Alone, for example, might be mistaken for an Asian commentary on our mortality—until one realizes that the symbol of safety/masculinity to which the girl clings is actually an African zebra, and that her restfulness could just as easily be interpreted as contentedness. Art criticism, after all, is nothing if not an exercise in subjectivity. But be your own judge: We are excited to announce that for the winner of today’s giveaway, this gorgeous print will be yours to keep. To win Never Alone, simply visit Shira Sela’s collection, then return here to tell us about your favorite print. Wishing Willow subscribers receive a second entry, so let us know in a second post if you subscribe. (If you do not have a Google account, just click “anonymous” to leave a post.) Contest ends 10/16/08. Best of luck to you all.

**We have a winner! ky2here who said, "Late Bloomer because of the richness of the varying greens - it really stands out from the rest of the wonderful collection. much more intense and less whimsical." Congratulations!