Art of Warning

Art of Witness

Mary Ciani

Artist Statement

 A decade ago I abandoned the painting of lives lived in time – the usual subject of humans. I changed focus to the life of the planet and our poisoned relationship with it.

We face a bitter truth: the Industrial Revolution brought comfort and wealth to us, but the continuing burning of oil creates an invisible blanket that wraps the earth, bringing hellish summers, drought, fire, huge storms fed by heat, dying oceans, melting glaciers and falling mountains.

Perhaps the Earth will survive this unceasing, increasing attack.

But we may not. 

The view from my studio is of doves and cardinals, a pond and bamboo forest – but I see only deluge, oil, blood, and fire. So I paint the black of oil and the red of blood: cause and effect.

Deluge, Black Oil, Snowmelt, Shattering Rock, 4’ x 12’ Polyptych of four 4’ x 3’ canvases, Golden paints, 2020-2024