Adirondack Art then and now

During the classes that we spent discussing old Adirondack artwork I was fascinated with evolution of the types of artwork, the mediums used, the meaning either obvious or vague, and the style of painting, realistic or abstract. One of the most obvious trends that I could see in the evolution of Adirondack art that we looked at was the movement from realism to abstraction. I was curious what classic Adirondack artwork looks like today and how this compares to the growth and changes of art throughout previous Adirondack history.

I picked out three pieces of artwork that show the three of the main branches of modern Adirondack artwork.

A day better than this?--Diana Leifheit (pastel)

This pastel artwork is very similar to the past artwork of the Adirondacks, representing the idea of the Adirondacks, but not displaying the precise details of the nature so the viewer is allowed to fill it in with their own experiences. I love seeing these pieces of artwork according to my own personal experiences with the Adirondacks.

Downtown--Barry Lobdell (photograph)

The popularity of photography has increased and it gives a much more realistic depiction of the world around the artist, sharing exactly what they saw. 

Large Pine Bowl--Mary Lou Reid (pottery)

The art of craftsmanship in the Adirondacks is one of the largest forms of artwork in the Adirondacks, it is a huge part in representing old Adirondack culture and traditions. Many times these pieces of artwork incorporate depictions of classic Adirondack wilderness.