Kaija Savinainen Mountain — The Uplifting Power of Cranes
by Sally Hansen
Nature is the sustaining inspiration for countless artists — Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”, Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, Georgia O’Keeffe’s calla lilies, Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Carnival of Animals”, and Kaija Savinainen Mountain’s bold figurative paintings of sandhill cranes, horses and deer.
Mountain readily acknowledges the strong influence that the pioneering German Expressionist painter, Franz Marc, has had on her work, describing him as “a kindred spirit”. Like Marc, most of Mountain’s art portrays animals in natural settings, and is characterized by bright primary colors. Her paintings, again like Marc’s, are redolent with a profound sense of emotion, rejoicing in the purity of the animal form.
Continue reading "Kaija Savinainen Mountain — The Uplifting Power of Cranes" »