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Lot description
Sybil Gibson (American, 1908-1995). Girl with Umbrella. Tempera on brown paper, n.d. Signed at lower right. Rendered in Sybil Gibson's signature tempera on brown paper, this evocative painting captures a solitary young girl amidst a gentle downpour or beneath a sky heavy with clouds. Clutching a pale umbrella that seems almost as large as she is, the child stands on a suggestion of grassy earth, her simple pink dress a soft contrast to the muted tones of the scene. Gibson's intuitive and somewhat ethereal style is evident in the fluid brushstrokes and the understated palette, creating a poignant moment suspended in time. The work speaks to the quiet resilience of childhood, finding beauty and stillness even in the face of the elements, a hallmark of Gibson's ability to transform everyday subjects into deeply felt artistic expressions. Size of painting: 18.5" W x 23.75" H (47 cm x 60.3 cm); of frame: 20.5" W x 25.75" H (52.1 cm x 65.4 cm) About the artist: "Sybil Gibson was born Sybil Aaron in Dora Alabama. Although Gibson's father was a prosperous Alabama coal mine operator, she spent most of her life in poverty. On Thanksgiving Day, 1963, at 55 years of age Sybil began experimenting with making wrapping paper from brown grocery bags and tempura paint, having been seized by an urge to paint. Granger Carr, who befriended Gibson, described her work as follows: 'The simple subject matter of flora and fauna are submerged in mystery. Line gives way to light where lyrical hues bleed as in the dome of a rural Alabama sky. Yet form emerges shy of abstraction, retaining the familiarity of distant memory. Evasive flowers become something immediate and urgent. The spirit-like portraits which populate Gibson's work peer as if from behind a veil, and return our gaze as if we, and not they, are the subject matter of something.' Shunning regular art paper, Sybil used ordinary grocery bags, which she soaked in water to flatten and separate, or the skins of cardboard boxes, soaked in water to remove the core, and sometimes sheets of newspaper. An eccentric artist who would disappear for long periods of time, she continued to be reclusive throughout her painting career. Often she would leave her paintings behind. Shortly before the opening of her first art exhibition at the Miami Museum of Modern Art in May, 1971, Gibson disappeared, leaving drawings scattered about her yard. Much of her work was destroyed by the elements but there are believed to be about 300 works in existence. Sybil Gibson's work can be found in many private and public collections including the American Folk Art Museum, the Menello Museum of American Folk Art, the Birmingham Museum of Art, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, the Marietta/Cobb Museum of Arts, the New Orleans Museum of Art, the New York Historical Society and the Fayette Art Museum." (source: artist's bio on Black Sheep Art website) Provenance: private Rochester, Minnesota, USA collection, acquired from 1990 -1998 All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids. We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience. SHIPPING EXCEPTIONS: Due to customs clearance issues, we are unable to ship to Germany, Switzerland and Australia. If you live in Germany, Switzerland or Australia, you will need to provide an alternate shipping destination, or we will not be able to complete your purchase. In addition, please note that we are unable to ship ancient items back to the original country of origin (Egyptian to Egypt, Greek to Greece, etc.) PAYMENT EXCEPTION: Unless a known customer of Artemis, payment for all gold / precious metal / gem lots must be made via Bank Wire Transfer or Certified Bank Check/Money Order, no exceptions. #192982