Warming Up for the PROJECT

My Perspective of How John Andrews Feels

(Pastel)

by Suzanne Mozes

I was looking out of my window on a rainy afternoon while trying to decide how this whole project would come together.  The town of Middlebury strove to break through the oppressive layer of fog and trees.  Suddenly, I realized that this image, framed by my window, truly reflected John Andrews feelings about Middlebury.

John feels creatively stifled in this atmosphere.  He feels that the art that emerges from this area, while technically superior, lacks in new creativity.  The landscapes are all very pretty.  Moreover, John's father, a pastor, inhibits his role as a filmmaker.  He explained that it is hard to be a grown-up when one is around the people whom they grew up with because old stereotypes and expectations still apply.

Looking at my view from Allen Hall, every facet of the scene seemed to equate with John's feelings.  I decided that I wanted to capture this moment for my creative aspect because it really spoke for the goals of my project.

I allowed the sky to dominate my piece because it overwhelms the bottom half of the pastel.  The dull colors push down on the mountains and underlying village to highlight the oppression John feels in the "superearthiness" of Vermont.  I can see a storm brewing in the distance beyond the mountains.  This storm is John's discontentment in the area which will induce him to leave.  His exile from this scene is further highlighted in the movement in the clouds headed off the page.

In highshool, John describes himself as somewhat of a nerd.  He feels that this stereotype will forever remain a part of his character while he is in this location like the mountains are a constant fixture in this view.  Regardless of how hard he tries to obscure this opinion with his current endeavors and marriage, it still remains.  Similarly, the fog tries to hide the mountains, but their outline still remains.

I changed my technique with the tree growth beneath to show the frenetic energy that John experienced living in New York City for five years, which he misses in Vermont.  I do not think that it was successful for the overall picture, but it explains what he can't find in this environment.  Interestingly enough, he failed to find the film community in New York City beneath all of this distraction and creativity, just as it obscures most of the town beneath. 

However, a church steeple ploughs through the fog and tree foliage which represents John's father.  It does not enhance the overall effect of the landscape, yet it is still there - unremovable.  It interrupts the flow of reading the picture from the top right hand corner to the bottom left hand corner.  It pierces the eye and hinders the overall experience of this placid, somewhat mellow