Graclyn
Artist
Maryann Harman
(American)
Date1984
MediumAcrylic on canvas
Dimensions48 × 84 in. (121.9 × 213.4 cm)
ClassificationsPainting
Object numberUAC2727
DescriptionGraclyn takes on a darker color palette than the usual pastels that Harman uses in other work, such as her Hollins piece. The darker colors evoke a kind of moody atmosphere, with the dark gray spaces taking up the majority of the canvas. The central line of the gray coloring seems to almost wind like a road, while on the right most side the streaks and winding brushstrokes make a form that is reminiscent of a tree.Graclyn Ct. is a street near Virginia tech, where Maryann worked and taught, and this piece looks a bit like a view from a building on that street, perhaps on a dreary day. In that way, this landscape calls back to the work of the Impressionists like Monet and Renoir who painted the streets of Paris around them in the unique splotchy technique of their time. In a similar, modernist way, Harman is doing the same thing in Graclyn.
Maryann Harman worked in a kind of color field style in the 1970s and 80s, producing a kind of uniquely textured color scape. She taught at Virginia Tech for 30 years, influencing artists as notable as Tishan Hsu, who credits her for his understanding of color in his work.
Written by Alex Heath
