Daily Artsy Figurative Paintings

Associations. Marshall Crossman.

I’ve been out of high school a long time ( we won’t mention how long! ).  If it weren’t for Facebook, I think it’s safe to say there would be few folks from high school I would be keeping up with today.  Don’t get me wrong, I had a great high school experience.  But I’m a firm believer that people move through our lives in seasons– some come to stay, others stay just for awhile.  But what is it about high school that seems to create such strong bonds for some?

One thought might be that commonality of going through the same experience at the same point in time.  We are becoming a singular person, but are immersed in a large group.  Striving to find ourselves, yet often losing ourselves among the crowd.  The Class Photo series of paintings by Pacifica artist Marshall Crossman  seems to illustrate that experience of individuals melting together to form a whole.

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The way the artist reduces the ubiquitous class photo pose into simple shapes and strokes reinforces the idea of young people still in “formation” mode.  Who among us knew who we would ultimately be while in high school?  I certainly didn’t!  Maybe it’s true that my life’s path didn’t take the journey I thought it would at eighteen, but deep inside I’m the same soul I was in high school.  Introspective, striving, shy.  When I look at the current faces of my former classmates, I don’t see the changes life has dealt.  What is left is the essence of those souls who are forever linked with mine through our shared experience, our shared moment in time.

To see more of Marshall Crossman‘s work, please visit her website.

Artist found via Dolby Chadwick Gallery.  All images are via the Dolby Chadwick website.

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