Oaks in Green 

Editor: So this is "Oaks in Green" by Erin Hanson, made with oil paints in a plein-air style. The vibrant colors really pop out, it’s very visually engaging. What is your perspective on it? Curator: The dance of light through the foliage, represented by fragmented brushstrokes, speaks to our deeply rooted connection to nature. Trees, particularly oaks, have historically been powerful symbols. They embody strength, resilience, and the passage of time. Don’t you think? Editor: Definitely, the impasto style makes them feel almost tangible, solid and lasting. Why do you think the artist chose such a bold palette? Curator: The artist seems to be using color not just descriptively, but symbolically. Green, of course, is life, growth, and renewal. But look closer: the blues interwoven suggest the ethereal quality of memory. The artist doesn’t show them only green, but suggests the greeness within a matrix of other concepts: mind, memory, history… Is that a reasonable reading, or am I stretching the interpretation a bit? Editor: I see what you mean. It's like she’s capturing not just the scene but also the feeling of being in it, the impressions it leaves behind. It’s more than just visual. Curator: Precisely! Hanson isn't just painting what she sees; she’s inviting us to participate in a shared cultural memory, reminding us of our relationship with the natural world. We can almost smell the oaks. Editor: It makes me want to go outside and find my own personal oak tree. Thanks, I learned a lot about interpreting symbolic images in this painting. Curator: It’s my pleasure. It's wonderful how art can be a portal to our shared human experience.