John Fabian Carlson
American
1875-1947
“How shall we see nature with painter’s eyes, and not merely as a tourist? The word ‘see’ does not mean, in this instance, mere visual correctness; this never in itself produces a work of art…the camera does not have an idea about the objects reflected upon its lens. It does not ‘feel’ anything, and will render one thing as well as another. ”
-John F. Carlson (from his book Carlson’s Guide to Landscape Painting)
Trees were a preoccupation for John Carlson throughout his career. They became a primary element in almost all of his paintings. John Carlson gave human qualities to trees so as to convey emotions, such as quiet strength, dignity, solemnity, peacefulness, etc… This emotional aspect was rooted in fundamental truths that exist in nature.
“How do you paint a tree?” he asks, and then answers, “By understanding a tree”.
“…understand that trees are conscious, living things, with tribulations and desires not wholly disassociated from your own…A tree seldom or never encroaches upon the liberty of another tree, if it can be avoided…A tree recognizes that its liberties end where the next tree’s liberty begins. A tree never wastes its growth in unnecessary twisting, nor frivolous waste of energy. If a tree is seen to twist or turn (within its type’s specific scope), these turns and twists are intimately connected with, or in rapport with, the turnings and twisting of a neighboring tree. This engenders a certain rhythm of flow of related lines in a wood….”
“To the insensitive or unfeeling, a wood merely represents a heterogeneous multitude of vertical sticks…To the artist, the forest is a [place] of peace, of dancing shadows and sun-flecked green…
A tree is a highly organized entity, which, when functioning in its realm, becomes beautiful.”
When I listen to Carlson’s words and look at his pictures I find myself thinking about a slow, casual conversation with an old friend. I turn my head to the side slightly to grasp his meanings, and when I have them I must turn my head again to see if they apply in “real life”.
I rarely walk away from our “conversations” without the feeling that I am the better for it.
Carlson painted mostly winter landscapes. I assume that it was because he was so busy teaching at the John F. Carlson School of Landscape Painting in Woodstock, NY during the summer months, that this was the only time he could find to paint himself; However that is merely speculation. At any rate, the winter landscape is perfectly well suited to Tonalism (as would be an overcast or foggy sky).
Tonalism can be defined as an artistic style that emerged at the same time as Impressionism, but with an emphasis on mood, colored atmosphere, and subtle colors and values. John F. Carlson was known as a “Tonalist”. This can be observed in his delicate silvery colors, and moody atmosphere that is the most recognizable characteristic in his work.
In Carlson’s own words, “the light’s color cast diffuses itself over and into the colors of an object and thereby establishes a kind of unity or “tone” over the whole. Thus, there is a vast difference between a group of colors seen under yellowish light, and the same group under bluish light or between the same group seen by moonlight- the latter not only being for the most part greenish in cast but also very reduced in degree of light.”
Aside from light, trees may be the most important consideration when looking at a landscape painting. How they are painted can tell a lot about what the artist is trying to say, just as how the viewer reacts to them may tell a lot about him or her.
I was once told (and I believe it): “The more individual branches an artist paints the more introspective they tend to be, and likewise the more loose and painterly the more likely they have an extroverted personality”. Ask yourself this question: Do you find loosely painted, spontaneous “Impressionistic” trees more enjoyable to look at, or do you prefer the tight, highly-polished and detailed “Realistically” painted trees? Would you likewise define yourself as more fun-loving and whimsical, or more deliberate and careful in your planning? If you do not think this is an important question, then your answer is also very telling, and in all likelihood will never have stumbled across this blog.