"Two Villages" - Black and White Ink Landscape Drawing By Joan Carl Strauss

"Two Villages" is a black and white landscape ink drawing by Joan Carl Strauss that unfolds a narrative of hidden rivalry within a picturesque valley.

In the heart of a flat-floored valley, two villages confront each other, each perched in distinct locations that speak volumes about their inhabitants' relationship with the land. One village, nestled on the hillside of the opposing mountain, exudes resilience and audacity as if challenging the very nature that surrounds it. The other settlement gracefully sprawls in the valley below, showcasing a harmonious coexistence with the land and suggesting a collective human effort to harness and tame nature for sustenance and prosperity. The fertile fields symbolize a willful connection with the earth and an acknowledgment of the bounties it offers.

The composition invites viewers to look at the scene from an elevated perspective, as if the artist stands on a mountain, providing a bird's-eye view of the unfolding drama. The foreground of the artwork is adorned with spare flowers blossoming on the cliff, a deliberate choice by the artist to draw attention to the wonders of nature.

Joan Strauss Carl was a Los Angeles artist, teacher, and humanitarian activist. She was a past president of the Los Angeles Art Association and has left a formidable body of her work and commissions in private collections, museums, and houses of worship. She was a prolific sculptor and painter. After studying art in Cleveland and at the Art Institute of Chicago, she traveled West. Her decision had proved smart as she quickly had six one-man shows and was consistently accepted in the very important invitational, juried exhibitions from San Francisco to San Diego. A quote from her exhibition: Joan Carl – One-Man Sculpture Show. “My work is my way of life. It is a constant search and examination and questioning of ideas as well as form and substance, and yet each new creation is a re-affirmation of respect and love of humanity and life.” Joan was represented by Paideia Gallery in Los Angeles and resided in Sherman Oaks, California for many years. As a sculptor, she worked in many mediums, including bronze, terracotta, stone, and wood.

REFERENCE NUMBER: LU654313848452
PERIOD: 1980-1989
CONDITION: Excellent
MEASUREMENTS: Height: 18.75" Width: 20.75" Depth: 1.25"
COUNT: 1
MATERIAL: Watercolor, Ink
CREATOR: Joan Carl Strauss