Samuel Harrison House and Garden c. 1936

Meyer Goldbaum made "Samuel Harrison House and Garden", using what looks like watercolor or gouache, or something with a matte, chalky feel. The painting feels like a memory of a place; the plan of the garden is laid out as if it were seen from above, with the house drawn in an almost naive, geometric way. The pinkish-red roof of the house dominates the picture, but it is the borders of flowers and vegetables that grab my attention. The artist uses a limited palette to create a sense of abundance, of the life that can be cultivated within the garden walls. The paint is applied in flat, opaque layers, with little blending or shading. This gives the painting a kind of graphic quality, like a page from a storybook. I'm reminded of the work of Joseph Yoakum, who also made visionary landscapes from memory and imagination. Both artists invite us to see the world through their unique lens, where reality and fantasy intertwine. Ultimately, this painting is a testament to the power of art to transform the ordinary into something extraordinary.