Art Experience- "Christina's World"

The piece of artwork that I chose to write about is actually a very famous painting by Andrew Wyeth called "Christina's World." I've seen this painting several times, but I've never understood the full meaning behind it until just recently. I saw this painting in a cafe' called "Blue Moon" in my hometown. When I stopped to look at this painting I tried to think about what the girl in the field had on her mind. Christina is laying in a large open field with a house in the distance. It seems like she's struggling to reach the house, like she is very tired or weak. The house seems too be just a little too far to get to. It might represent how alone she feels, or how she just needs a hand to help her on her way. Maybe she's too tired to get up, or maybe she can't get up?


After writing down what I thought, I read the description under the painting. The painting was created as a sort of tribute to Andrews neighbor Christina. He was moved by her determination to get to her house despite her crippling case of polio. Now that I have read exactly what is happening in this painting, it makes perfect sense. I could tell that she was struggling, but I wasn't sure why. I returned to the picture and looked at it for a while longer. I could almost feel Christina's pain, she looks so weak and tired. Even though you can't see her face, you can picture the determination on her face. The only thing that I've changed my mind about is the circumstances surrounding the painting. I had a feeling that it had something to do with a struggle or a longing of some sort, but now I see how strong and brave this girl is. The fact that she is an actual person says even more about this beautiful piece. I ended up looking for more info on the painting on the Internet, and I found out that Christina actually inspired many of his paintings. All around, this is a very heartwarming painting about a moment in the life of Christina. I think that Andrew wanted us to understand how important it is to never give up, never let things hold you back. Maybe he even wanted us to see how even though life might be tough, it may be even harder for others, and we should be thankful and not take things for granted.

What does it mean to be and artist?

Ten things you need to be an artist: Creativity, Passion, Inspiration, Heart, Motivation, Vision, Skill, Depth, Originality, Patience.