Art by Sydna

​Oil on Canvas. Painted in 1965.

This a very colorful landscape and it's one of my favorites.  The purple mountains seem draw your eye into the picture.  Then, you begin to notice the other colors and scenery - the trees, rocks, grass...the waterfall and the shoreline in the distance, which could be a beach. There is something pristine about the way this scene is presented. I imagine the water to be crystal clear and refreshing, the grass soft on your feet. And, the rocks in the foreground, a perfect place to sit and drink it all in.  It makes me want to take a canoe to the far shore to enjoy a snack before continuing my journey around the bend.​

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​​Oil on Canvas. Painted in 1971.

This impressionistic ​painting had no records of name given by Sydna. So, the name and description is based on our knowledge of her and her experiences.

What I enjoy about this painting is the way my eye moves through it.  It starts in the lower-half, as my brain seeks structure, and I notice, what appears to be, a working dock - not recreational.  And, due to the boat sizes and waterway, it appears to be smaller in size, although used somewhat heavily.  Then, my eye moves briefly to the hillside in the left foreground, before sweeping back to the water, and beyond the building to the dream-like land beyond the buildings, with it's swirling brush strokes, and recognizing hints of trees with darkened green leaves.  Then, my eye moves back left, and deeper into the painting, noticing the more defined strokes, creating a mountainous-look. And, moving beyond to notice the darkened blue appearance of more distant and larger mountains.  I notice the arc of peach and pink behind the mountains, indicating the subtle beauty of rising or setting sunlight. Although that arc could have a different significance, since they contrast with the shading above.  That's when my I look at the clouds above, the beautiful, wispy feeling of the gray clouds. And, finally, I am pulled to the iridescence of white and silver, the brightest of light trying to peek through the gray skies.

I enjoy the beauty of the work and wonder if it was a Japanese fishing village.  Sydna loved the Japanese culture and visited Japan a few times in her life.  To, me, that would explain the inclusion of a rising sun.  I also look at the two people depicted on the dock and their clothing reminds me of working-class Japanese people.​

The painting, itself, has a similar composition to her 1965 work, Purple Mountains Majesty.  The foreground has less here, in this case some dock pillars.  But, similarities include an obstruction in the medium distance.  On the left here, it's a hillside.  In Majesty, it was a waterfall.  The distant shoreline is somewhat similar between the paintings.  Both works have bodies of water that appear to bend off to the distant left. And, both works, appear to have their light source from the top, left of the painting.

What do you see in this work?  What do you think?  Find the corresponding blog post, share, and make comments here.​

Oil on Canvas. Painted c. 1969-1972

This painting does not have  signature or date. But, we believe it is certainly a Sydna creation.  It matches a similar brush style, reflected in other Sydna landscapes. And, elements of this painting's color palette are cimilar to Sydna's 1971 Sleepy Fishing Village.  Although we're slowly becoming experts on Sydna's artistic evolution, we accept this as a Synda landscape. - especially with its warm, muted tones, sunrise/sunset scene, and inclusion of water.

I am a little fascinated with the ambiguous emotions this painting draws.  The choice of an olive-type color, featured in the piece's lowlights (vs. highlights), invites peaceful, yet...ambiguous feelings.  Continuing to view the painting, I get no sense if it is set in a warm or cool climate.  Is it winter or summer?  Morning or evening? Humid or slightly dry? Desolate or lush topography?  In one moment, I visualize the rocks covered with algae.  And, in the next moment, everything appears desolate - including the larger land mass in the upper-right section.  So, in this respect, I find myself in a purgatory-type of reaction - neither loving nor hating it. But, I do notice when I look at it, I stay for a number of minutes.  I engage with the painting in a continuous attempt to determine if the piece is speaking to me or if I'm trying to give the painting meaning based on my personal emotional state at the time.  

Do you feel any reaction when looking at it?  Find the corresponding blog post, share, and make comments here.​

Oil on canvas -  24" x 36".​ Painted in 1964.

At 36" tall, this is one of Sydna's largest pieces. ​It's interesting that Sydna painted a number of landscapes but very few city scenes.  In 1964, she had lived in the Suburbs fewer than 10 years. For most of her early life, she lived in Manhattan and the Bronx - far from a rural experience. You would think she'd paint some street scenes, depicting her life in the big city. Yet, her urban works are from a distance, or from other cultures. I think it's because of her use of painting as an escape from her daily life and her past.  Her landscape works are lush and peaceful - no honking horns or shouting people - just the faint sounds of moving water and moving leaves.  Windmill at Water's Edge is another tranquil expression.

​Sydna's use of greens and yellows reflects the lush greenery and time of day.  Once again, Sydna used either the time around sunrise or sunset. Maybe she enjoyed the additional range of colors at those times. Yet, the mellow colors bring some sadness to the piece's lower-half - almost sallow in appearance.

​At the horizon, you'll notice a patch of red, leading the observer to believe it is autumn and the far shore is filled with maple trees.

​Once again, Sydna shows her strength in creating beautiful, luminescent skies.  Her mix of blue skies, wispy clouds, and gray shadows creates a wonderful 3D effect, bringing hope to the day, and a better tomorrow.

​What do you think? Find the corresponding blog post, share, and make comments here.​

Oil on canvas -  20" x 16".​ Painted in 1967.

​The most important question is...why? Why paint a second version of Windmill three years later and in a different shape?  Was it for a gift?  Did Sydna think she could improve the work?  The colors are brighter in this second piece and the artist's perspective is lower to the ground.  Although Sydna created different a number of paintings with flowers, this is the only painting we found that was a replica of an earlier piece.

​What are your thoughts? Visit the blog post and let us know.

And, look in our shop, where we've added some modern digital effects to turn the oval into a rectangular piece.​

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