Artist Sara Anstis masterfully employs soft pastels to create ethereal and thought-provoking drawings, where figures are depicted in peculiar, dream-like scenarios. Whether they are navigating a bathtub equipped with oars or nestled within makeshift shelters, her characters are enveloped in cryptic activities, hinting at complex narratives inspired by folklore, classic art, and ancient symbols.
Anstis's recent works, featured in her solo show titled "Pastels" at Olney Gleason, exude a timeless quality. Her artistic palette has recently evolved to incorporate subdued, autumnal shades, a departure from the vivid, luminous colors that characterized her earlier creations. This shift aligns with her growing exploration of art history, especially drawing inspiration from the medieval and early Renaissance periods.
The stoic, three-quarter profiles seen in pieces like "The Horse Rider" echo the expressions found in 15th-century art by masters such as Fra Angelico and Hans Memling. "The Painter" subtly references the medieval tradition of placing saints at the feet of a revered figure, reimagining this with women gazing reverently not just at a female artist, but at the powerful representation of a woman's form. This series also features an animal motif reminiscent of Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic "Lady with an Ermine." Anstis’s homage, though modest in scale, profoundly acknowledges the diverse talents and roles of women, including motherhood. The maternal theme resonates throughout the exhibition, partly influenced by Paula Modersohn-Becker’s 1906 painting, "Self-Portrait at 6th Wedding Anniversary." Pastels serve as a fitting medium, allowing her to construct compositions that capture the haziness of dreams and the fluid boundaries of folk tales. For instance, "Three heads in a bed" playfully recalls the nursery rhyme "Ten in the Bed," often adapted as "Three in the Bed." Through these artistic choices, Anstis evokes a sense of profound reverence, suggesting that each scene is but a glimpse into a deeper ritual or observation. She embraces the absurd and the whimsical, tapping into the enchanting irrationality inherent in dreams and the human imagination.
Anstis's art encourages us to reflect on the unseen connections between historical narratives and contemporary experiences, celebrating the enduring power of art to illuminate the mysteries of existence. Her creations remind us that within the mundane, there often lies a rich tapestry of meaning, inviting us to delve deeper into our own interpretations and perceptions of the world around us.