Please join us at the Jessie Edwards Gallery for ‘The Last Bouquets of Summer’, new watercolor and gouache works by Kate Knapp. These effervescent pieces are available to view now at the Gallery or here online.
Kate Knapp paints what she loves and in these paintings we can tell exactly what that is: flowers, her place here and the ocean. These ten watercolor and gouache works, all 22 x 30”, are framed and ready to be hung in that perfect place to remind us that the beauty of summer lives on.
Many of us are familiar with Kate’s work and her ability to capture what it is we love about Block Island. Most of her works are large and vibrant and they exude an essence of what it is to be on Block Island. Most of her paintings are done en plein air when she is on island in the spring and fall. In summer, though, the island is too busy in general to paint where she wants. This is when she is captivated by the beauty of the flowers she finds at the Farmer’s Market. When she buys bouquets she feels compelled to capture the intricacies and vibrancy of the blooms as they sit on her porch. She loves the relative freedom of painting still life, setting up her makeshift easel and allowing time and space to create a final piece. Unlike when she paints en plein air, when everything must be captured quickly before the light changes, she can take her time making sure to capture all the shades and shadows as the flowers share their beauty with her.
Through these works, we can see the flow of summer. The blooms change. The light changes. The weather, as a backdrop, adds depth to these pieces. We can share in a slice of a summers’ day through each of these paintings. We are shown different views of the space beyond the bouquets and all of it makes the perfect tableau for showing off the variety of flowers and the artist’s ability to paint what she loves.
The blues and pinks are perfectly balanced in ‘Pink Lillies in Fish Pot’. The day outside is magnificent and this warm bouquet will be waiting for us when we come back from enjoying the island on this summer day.
The richness of summer colors is portrayed in ‘Roses and Striped Glass Vase’. It’s days like these that we hope summer will never end. Everything seems possible.
Summer can hold so much variety, and each day can feel like a week when we are on vacation. There are so many wonderful things to do and experiences to be had. ‘Summer Bouquet in Milk Pitcher’ is an enticing blend of different flowers that can be found in the height of summer and happily represents all the choices we have here when the days are long, and the air is warm.
Like all summer flowers, once they’re gone, they are gone. Bring home your own everlasting bouquet by visiting us upstairs in the iconic Post Office Building in Old Harbor and online. We are open most weekends from 11- 4 (if the flags are out, we are in!) and by appointment at other times.