Quite A Mysterious Picnic

George Bellow's 1924 oil painting, "The Picnic," attracted me instantly. It was my third favorite piece that day, because the stark contrasting colors and juxtaposition of relaxation and play with the foreboding storm clouds and darkness, is a concept something I relate to.
When I was a little girl, my mother told me that, "in life there will be mountains and valleys, so always remember when you get stuck in a valley to keep moving towards the next mountain top," and it has always stuck with me. I believe that it has because I have battled many ups and downs in my life with difficult past experiences and through battling mental illness. This is why I immediately sat on the floor in front of this painting without even reading the plaque. I felt like I was the girl in the pink dress. She stands on a little peaked hill, with one side bright green, and the other darkly shadowed, which suggests that change is coming and that she is in a position of importance in the scene. Her back is to the viewer, as she faces the darkness ahead, as if she is merely acknowledging that it is coming as she talks to the figure beneath her. The high-vantage perspective that the artist takes also creates a sense of power, especially with the power behind the thunderstorm across the lake. Maybe the lake is a symbolic divider between the playful picnic scene and the vast dark mountains ahead. The artist utilizes a lot of leading line to the figures and contrast in shade to add drama to a seemingly harmless picnic. Also, the way the artist blends the paints is similar to how I like to blend oils, so I also really liked that aspect.
Overall, "Picnic," was strangely relatable to me, and the composition, color choices, and mysterious narrative made it my third favorite piece at the BMA that day.