Three Birches 1967

Gandy Brodie, who was born in 1924, painted "Three Birches" using a distinct and emotive style. As someone who experienced the world with synesthesia, Brodie's work often explores the intersection between internal experience and external reality. His personal history, including time spent in psychiatric institutions, deeply influenced his art, imbuing it with a sense of isolation. His unique worldview informs the semi-abstracted forms of the birch trees, rendered in thick impasto, their stark presence conveying a sense of resilience amidst the darkness. Brodie, reflecting on his work, once stated, "I paint what I feel, not what I see," capturing the deeply personal and emotional nature of his paintings. "Three Birches" invites viewers to contemplate the themes of mental health, identity, and survival, and in doing so, confronts us with the profound depths of human experience.