
Doug Kinnett
Roving Rose, 1997
Oil on Canvas
26 × 28 inches
Do not hunt here for the heaven of burnt oils or the ice-skating of Flemish brush stroke.' -- Osip Mandelstom, translated by W.S. Merwin and Clarence Brown. This quote is from a painter who does not want to be compared with older, traditional, craftsmen. This painting is inspired by Rosemaling, a traditional, floral painting style. Rosemaling is a popular decorative motif in the hometown of the artist's wife, Decorah, Iowa. Decorah was originally settled by Norwegian immigrants, who kept these motifs with them. This painting is respectful of that tradition, while also refusing to simply copy it.