"Two Yellow Parakeets and the Surviving Plant" Oil Painting by Pat Berger

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There is something mesmerising about the paintings of Pat Berger - a captivating force that immediately draws us in. Her … Read more There is something mesmerising about the paintings of Pat Berger - a captivating force that immediately draws us in. Her work is characterised by a unique composition structured through the interplay of colours - an approach that allows her to reveal unexpected sources of pure light. This oil painting, captures a moment frozen in time, showing a sky in fire in the background with on the front a fighting plant, its leaves bending, yet from its very decay emerges new life, in the form of a tender sapling, reaching upwards.

However, the apparent tranquilly of this moment contrasts with the fierce, blazing background, reminding us of the destructive power of fire. The two scared birds draw closer to the living plant.. It's as though they know that it must be protected, nurtured, and allowed to grow, just as nature intended. The scene speaks to the tenacity of life and the power of renewal. It reminds us that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles, new beginnings can emerge, that with every ending comes a new beginning, and that the cycle of life continues, unbroken, unstoppable, and infinite.

In this particular painting, Berger introduces plants and branches, using them as a metaphor for the human condition. Like people, trees grow, bloom, fade, and age - and Berger's work reminds us that all of life's stages are worthy of celebration. Her versatility as an artist, educator, and activist has made her an influential figure in the art world, with her paintings exhibited in galleries and museums around the globe.. Some of her work has even found a permanent home in various galleries and museums, a testament to the enduring power of her art.

Patti Berger's signature is at the bottom right of the painting.

Pat Berger is an acclaimed painter born in New York in 1929, who has captivated audiences with her remarkable works for decades. She received her training in painting at the Art Centre School of Design and U.C.L.A. during World War II, where she absorbed modernist concerns for expression, composition, and colour-light interaction.
Berger's career spans several decades of painting, alternating between figures and landscapes and examining the natural landscape and social narratives.
Berger's latest collection of trees and branches, which includes the rose bush in this painting, reflects her central concerns with nature and beauty. She has been featured in many galleries and museums, including recent solo shows at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum in Santa Barbara and the University of Judaism in Los Angeles. Berger has also received numerous awards and honours for her work, including a fellowship for The Julia and David White Art Colony in Costa Rica, a National Watercolour Society Purchase Award, and a California Community Foundation, Brody Arts Fund Fellowship Award. Her work is featured in numerous public collections, including the San Diego Museum of Art, the Long Beach Museum of Art, the Skirball Museum, and the Palm Springs Desert Museum. See less