On View
Not on viewObject number1988/9.18
Flowers in a Bag
Artist
Denise Lisiecki
(American, 1951-)
Date1987
Mediumwatercolor on paper
Dimensionsimage: 39 × 26 in. (99.1 × 66 cm)
frame: 47 1/4 × 33 1/4 × 1 in. (120 × 84.5 × 2.5 cm)
frame: 47 1/4 × 33 1/4 × 1 in. (120 × 84.5 × 2.5 cm)
Credit LineArt Auction Fund
Exhibition History"Still Lifes from the KIA Permanent Collection," KIA (Sept. 1994 - Jan. 1995).
"Large Format Works on Paper," KIA (July 22 - Sept. 27, 1999).
On loan to Congressman Fred Uton's Washington office (June 1997 - June 28, 1999).
"Still Lifes from the Permanent Collection," KIA Long Gallery (Oct. 2002).
"Large Format Works on Paper," KIA Galleries 3&4 (June 27 - Sept. 2, 2003).
"Flowers in Art: Selections from the Collection," KIA Long Gallery (May 29 - Sept. 12, 2010).
Label TextThis watercolor demonstrates fine detail in its depiction of surface texture in the delicate patterns of the wood grain and the intricate wrinkles and folds of the crumpled paper. Spilling out of the paper wrapping is a bouquet of blush pink gladioli and vivid crimson lilies. The graceful petals and fragile stamens extend beyond the image’s frame, drawing viewers into the scene. Lisiecki draws upon a long tradition of painting and flower symbolism. Gladioli are also known as the Sword Lily due to their sword-shaped leaves. The birth flower for those born in August, the gladiolus signifies remembrance and infatuation, telling the receiver that he or she pierces the heart. It can also represent strength of character, faithfulness and honor. Lilies come in different shapes, sizes and colors. In general, they symbolize purity and refined beauty. Depending on the color or type, the flower can convey different meanings: white symbolizes modesty and virginity, while orange symbolizes passion. Watercolor is unforgiving; it cannot be painted over or corrected. Lisiecki shows her mastery of the medium by tightly controlling the movement of water and paint across the paper’s surface. The artist uses dramatic lighting and shadowing to lure the viewer’s gaze toward the painting’s enigmatic center. Lisiecki was inspired by Sondra Freckelton, a Michigan-born and renowned watercolorist, who she met in 1983 at an artists’ conference. The two later attended a Detroit workshop together and became close friends until Freckelton’s passing in 2019. Flowers in a Paper Bag recalls Freckelton’s realistic techniques, and reflects Lisiecki’s approach to rendering natural forms while heightening their surroundings to convey a sense of tension. Although there are no figures within view, the presence of humans is implied. The unwrapped flowers lying on the wood surface seem to have a story to tell. The flowers may represent being in a state of transition, i.e. the journey from outside (garden or flower shop) into the house, and finally, into a vase. Perhaps the artist alludes to the fragile nature of beauty, while also demonstrating the thin line between prosperity and ruin. Lisiecki, Director of the Kirk Newman Art School at the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, is an award-winning artist who received a BFA in painting at Miami University, and an MA from SUNY Oswego. She has been represented by galleries throughout the U.S. and has had numerous solo and group exhibitions. Her work can be found in more than 50 museum and corporate collections. She has received grants from the Michigan Council for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. [Collection Highlight]
