Romantic daydreams : visions of a new relationship with the natural world

Abstract

The paintings in my thesis exhibition are based on memories, stories I have heard, and daydreams about the lake I grew up beside, and other bodies of water I have lived near. There are two sides to the paintings: their personal meaning to me and their meaning to other people who see them. This thesis addresses both sides of the paintings in four parts: a discussion of the psychology of the paintings, my relationship to the natural world, the socio-political relevance of the paintings, and the specific symbolism of the images in the paintings. The slides of the paintings in my thesis exhibition illustrate the final form and development of my art at Montana State University, that embodies the principles outlined in this thesis.