In most of Andrew Wyeth’s artistic work, there is an air of serenity and sweetness that inevitably touches the viewer. Wyeth was a 20th century realist painter famous for his representational paintings. One of his most famous works is titled “Master Bedroom” done in 1965. This piece depicts a dog lying curled on a bed in a peaceful slumber. Done in a watercolor medium, the painting consists of smooth and delicate detail coupled with neutral coloring. Wyeth said he enjoyed to paint subjects that surrounded him in his everyday life and drew his inspiration from simple ideas and concepts of American culture. This painting captures a mundane moment yet invokes an intense and pure sentiment characteristic of all his works.
“Master Bedroom” is a painting that has been hanging in my home for years. I have loved and admired it since childhood and some of my earliest memories involve this picture. I used the piece as inspiration for my artwork that depicts my own dog sleeping on the couch. I used pastel chalk pencils done on a medium of scrapbook paper. My artwork addresses the same conceptual concept as Wyeth’s piece in that its focus is on a cozy sleeping dog and emanates a comfortable and sweet aura that envelopes the observer. I am amongst the many Americans whom love their dogs and consider them members of the family, a common trait of American culture.
Although the concept and idea are similar, many elements of my artwork and Wyeth’s are greatly contrasted. For example, Wyeth uses soft lighting to fill the dim room with the sleeping dog. This creates dull and neutral colors with very little contrast. On the other hand, my picture contains dynamic and bright colors of green, yellow, and orange. Also, the couch my dog is sleeping on has a colorful floral pattern which carries heavy visual weight and demands attention. In “Master Bedroom”, however, the dog itself is the area of focus since the bed pattern is neutral and the walls and window are unadorned. Thus the use of elements in my and Wyeth’s work is greatly opposed and creates tension when juxtaposed.