Local Art Seen: Sue Rauschenfels' Birches at the Zeitgeist Cafe

The wonderful world of color. "Between the Trees"

Monday evening was the opening for Sue Rauschenfels' For the Love of Trees art exhibition at the Zeitgeist Cafe. I missed, due to another commitment, but was able to drop in this afternoon for space in time. In addition to sharing some of the paintings I saw, I desired to share a couple of impressions I had regarding this particular show.

As any Northlander knows, we have an abundance of birch trees here in the Northland. And having a population rich in artists, it's not surprising that trees would be featured in many of our local artists' paintings. So it is that Sue Rauschenfels can be numbered among the tree-interpreters.

"Daylight"

"Birches On Parade"

Having followed her work for some time, I was unaware of just how many paintings of trees she has produced. What's intriguing, though, is the variety of approaches displayed as she addresses her subject.

Some of the paintings brought to mind two significant artists from that significant period preceding the modernist era. I'm thinking here of J.M.W. Turner and Paul Cezanne.

In earlier times artists were more representational. That is, the aim was reproduction of what the eye sees. But in the late 1800s forward we find an increasing love and appreciation for what was happening on the canvas, apart from the object of the painter's attention itself.

"Stand Tall"

"Stand Tall" (detail)

"Into the Woods"

Take for example some of the backgrounds and skies in some of the British artist J.M.W. Turner's works.

I'm also reminded of Cezanne in many of Rauschenfels paintings. Many of her paintings feel precise and others feel slightly unbound. So, too, there is a richness in the colors, and a muted quality in others. Note the greens and blues of Cezanne's landscapes and see how Rauschenfels sees with a similar pallet, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

I don't know if every artist feels this way, but coming up with titles can certainly be fun. Titles can also be revealing, and the occasionally whimsical nature of Rauschenfels' titles is certainly an added delight.

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"Dawn"

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"Summer Sky"

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"Just Breathe"

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Vivid colors that careen off Kandinsky and Chagall, muted like a Che watercolor.

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Related Links

Ten Minutes with Sue Rauschenfels, 2014

Sue Rauschenfels Open House, 2017

The Goin' Postal Fall Art Show 2019 (next week) will also feature some of Rauschenfels' work as part of North End Days in Superior.