Barbara Rehus

Pondwalking

One night my great-great-grandmother went for a walk that ended with her death in the family farm pond.  Only that is known for sure.  More than one hundred years later her walk remains a matter of conjecture and dispute.  Still, attendant to the discussions, come the various emotions of sadness and shame, but also connection.  And in this work of encaustic and oil paintings, crows have been assigned significant roles: they serve as witnesses and they tell the story.  

 

  • Pondwalker 1903 (detail panel 5); Encaustic and oil on canvas; panel 68"h x 22"w; 2003 Pondwalker 1903 (detail panel 5); Encaustic and oil on canvas; panel 68"h x 22"w; 2003
  • Pondwalker 1903; Encaustic and oil on canvas; installation 8'h x 20'w; 2003 Pondwalker 1903; Encaustic and oil on canvas; installation 8'h x 20'w; 2003
  • Pondwalker 1903 (detail panel 1); Encaustic and oil on canvas; panel 68"h x 22"w; 2003 Pondwalker 1903 (detail panel 1); Encaustic and oil on canvas; panel 68"h x 22"w; 2003
  • It's a 1963; Encaustic and oil on canvas; 10" x 10"; 2002 It's a 1963; Encaustic and oil on canvas; 10" x 10"; 2002
  • Crow with Thimble; Encaustic and oil on canvas; 10" x 10"; 2002 Crow with Thimble; Encaustic and oil on canvas; 10" x 10"; 2002
Pondwalker 1903 (detail panel 5); Encaustic and oil on canvas; panel 68"h x 22"w; 2003

Pondwalker 1903; Encaustic and oil on canvas; installation 8'h x 20'w; 2003

Pondwalker 1903 (detail panel 1); Encaustic and oil on canvas; panel 68"h x 22"w; 2003

It's a 1963; Encaustic and oil on canvas; 10" x 10"; 2002

Crow with Thimble; Encaustic and oil on canvas; 10" x 10"; 2002