Friday, November 21, 2008

preternatural vision in the short life and art of Phoebe Washer


I was wandering today and found myself viewing a collection of art by Phoebe Washer. Phoebe was a young artist who lived her short life in the San Francisco North Bay. I remember hearing a news report about a twenty year old woman who slipped from a cliff in the Marin Headlands while hiking and then thought of it no more. Now suddenly, these delicate images preternaturally inclined towards a poetic and mystical world view have brought home the loss of this young life.

And yet, Phoebe lived closer to spirit than most and brought a completion to her life journey. She must have had special parents and friends as well as angels from the other world slipping into her paint brush.

Her life and art was a perfect cameo and perhaps Princess Haiku will encounter Phoebe some evening on her nocturnal travels.

I see elements of the art of Sulamith Wulfing in these early works.

Phoebe's later works are tints and colored dreams left behind to open the spirits of others. Thank you Phoebe for the glimpse within...

11 comments:

Garth said...

mmmm beautiful and haunting

Anonymous said...

These are so very sad....

Diane Dehler said...

Yes, sad but also beautiful. To me the message of Phoebe Washer is to fully engage with and use the life you are given.

AscenderRisesAbove said...

very sad; beautiful work. I am sure she is pleased to see that it is being appreciated.

Cyan said...

Wow. These are lovely. I appreciate their dreamlike quality. It's unfortunate that the artist didn't have more time in this world to create.

stephenrowepainter said...

Dear Princess, Indeed space is only as deep as one makes it. The life of the Artist-Poet is only a gift. As ever be well, my Dear Friend.

Marion said...

Very lovely and evocative paintings, Princess. So glad I found you again...I lost you for awhile when I moved and changed my template. Thank you so much for visiting...I now have a link to you again!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing this.

Unknown said...

What a breadth of work and vision for such a young woman.

Thank you for sharing this sad yet inspiring story.

goatman said...

I tend to believe that some special people do not need a normal lifetime to leave the inspiration for which they came.

rochambeau said...

Once the physical essence of a person is no longer, the tangible evidence, the fragments of ones life take on new meaning. Phoebe's work touches me Princess H!
xox
C