“Walking to School”
Original Paintings by Juliana Crownover
September 13 – October 28, 2018
The Sundermann Gallery is located in the Great Hall of
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral
5100 Ross Avenue at North Garrett
Dallas, Texas 75206
The Gallery is open Monday-Friday 9:00 to Noon; Sundays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and may be opened by appointment by calling the church office: 214.823.8134 or Evelyn Luciani: 972.333.6675
Artist Juliana Crownover:
I use my art as a way to notice something beautiful everyday. “Walking to School” has been a whimsical series chronicling my second grade daughter’s daily walks to school. My three older children all start school an hour before my youngest does. We like to eat breakfast as a family, so that leaves Lydia and I an extra hour every morning. What I am trying to do is not waste our gift of time, the phrase “killing time” is a phrase that makes me so sad. Instead of “killing” that time I have “painted” it, and all the adventures and beauty found therein.
This series is composed of landscapes we have seen on our daily walks and mixed media pieces of people walking. It includes: homework, tardy slips and bits and pieces we collected on our walks. I also used magical realism, as in the painting “Spokes and Shadows” the light was beautiful, the shadows were beautiful, but the backdrop was generic new suburbia. However, with a little imagination I saw a fantastic tree lined drive, I created the leaves with bits of homework. As the leaves fell, I could imagine the days and years and the entirety of Lydia’s childhood.
On a more profound level these paintings are about being present: we put away the phone, compose rhymes and poems, talk about the day, share our hopes and dreams, plan dinner or our next family celebration. Holiness — becoming the very best version of ourselves — happens in and through the small daily moments. We notice what is in bloom, when the leaves change color, or when someone repainted their front door. We have noted what the carpoolers miss: the chance to meet a new neighbor, pet a kitten, do a cartwheel, twirl a tutu, pick a flower or sneak a fresh fig hanging over the fence.
In painting this series, my hope is you will be reminded of a sweet memory of when you walked with your friends, siblings, or parents to school. Perhaps you will be inspired to be present and get out and find the beauty and life that is in YOUR neighborhood waiting for you to just enjoy and discover! Why not embark on a simple way to really live your life — go for a walk.
