Several years ago I became enthralled with the work of Andrew Wyeth

Christina's World, 1948

upon seeing a reproduction of Christina's World, undoubtedly Wyeth's most well-known and popular painting. The opportunity presented itself as part of a parent volunteer enrichment program in the school where I taught.  Although this was not the first time I had viewed this work of art, it was the first time that I had "really" looked at it and analyzed it in great depth. In doing so I became aware not only of its uniquely arranged composition, unusual perspective, extensive details, rich texture, and earthy monochromatic color palette, but also of its deeply emotional undercurrent.  Later, while at New York's Museum of Modern Art, I was fortunate enough to see in person the original Christina's World, and was moved by its depiction of his neighbor Christina, disabled with an unknown disease, as she crawled across the vast field looking towards her home with the bright sky beckoning her on.  I stood in awe as I studied the scene, mesmerized by this painting that not only represented a profound reflection of the landscape and people near Wyeth's home in coastal Maine, but also exuded a force and emotional appeal unlike any of Wyeth's contemporaries of the Postwar period in art.  Much analysis has been presented concerning Christina's World; some critics suggest its theme is one of loneliness and vulnerability, while others feel it represents a positive message about the safety, beauty and freedom that Christina felt in the familiarity of her environment.  I tend to agree with the latter and feel Wyeth succeeded in fulfilling his challenge "to do justice to her extraordinary conquest of a life which most people would consider hopeless . . . limited physically but by no means spiritually."  To me this painting exemplifies Wyeth's statement that, "Art to me is seeing.  I think you have got to use your eyes, as well as your emotions, and one without the other just doesn't work.  That's my art." He truly captured this spirit in Christina's World.
 

Wyeth in 1935 at age 18

Andrew Wyeth's career as a 20th century painter spanned seven decades, beginning in the mid-30's, and resulted in a vast body of work, including hundreds of watercolors and temperas known for their realistic depiction of New England landscapes, both in and around his winter home in Chadd's Ford west of Pennsylvania, and his summer home in Port Clyde, Maine.  His achievements over the decades have received mixed reviews, loved by the public from their very first onset, but often criticized by art critics as being drab, overly sentimental, nostalgic and having only a regional appeal.  For decades there has been an ongoing discussion as to whether he should be considered a "true artist" or merely an illustrator of local Americana.  Wyeth, unruffled by these comments, remained true to his convictions.  As he stated, "I start every painting with an emotion - something I've just got to get out."  He considered himself to be "an illustrator of his own life."

Ericksons, 1938

At the time of his death in 2009 at the age of 91, reviews of his achievements showed that "the jury is still out."  But throughout his career, the public - on a national and international level - completely embraced his work, as evidenced by the record numbers of people turning out to see exhibitions of his works and, in 2007, the world auction record sale of $10,344,000 for one of his tempera paintings, entitled Ericksons. 

It was almost predestined that Andrew Wyeth would become a famous artist someday, as he was born into an immensely creative and imaginative family in 1917 in the Brandywine Valley west of Philadelphia.  He began his art training at the early age of 6 under the guidance of his highly talented father Newell C. Wyeth, the famous illustrator of novels such as Treasure Island and The Yearling.  Due to health issues, Andrew was schooled at home and early on was drawing under the disciplined tutelage of N.C., which proved to have a tremendous influence on Andrew's development as an artist.  In his earliest lessons he was taught to look carefully at his environment, to equate himself with the objects around him, "to become the very object itself."  Wyeth carried this to such an extent that for him objects and people could be interchangeable.  As he matured as an artist, his objects became almost animated, taking on an inner spirit and having personal feelings and autobiographical associations.  

Early on Wyeth was greatly influenced by the artwork of several artists, in particular the bold and sweeping watercolors of Winslow Homer and the detailed nature scenes of 15th century artist Albrecht Durer.  But probably the thing that impacted Wyeth's life as an artist the most was the sudden car/train accidental death in 1945 of his father and 3- year-old nephew.  Following this, there was a major shift in his work as he turned inward, no longer relying on external influences in trying to find his own artistic voice.  He used paintings of memories and things from his past to work through the grief of losing his father.  His earlier paintings, vibrant

Big Spruce, 1938, watercolor showing Wyeth's early spontaneous, Impressionistic style

and loosely painted watercolors that

captured the free, impulsive side of his nature (as seen to the right), gave way to his temperas that were wrought with symbolism and expressed a more mature, restrained and contemplative side.  After N.C.'s death, Wyeth stated, "For the first time in my life, I was painting with a real reason to do it . . . Before, I was just a clever watercolorist - with lots of swish and swash."