Sharing Memories
by Madeline Carol

Look for it in and around an old house, or in the sun's shadows, or in the open lands of South Carolina's Lowcountry. There are the memories of a time gone by lingering as reminders of the continuum of time and that we are but brief visiting figures on this beautiful landscape. But, also in this scene is a sense of permanence and belonging which recreates the beauty and memories of what once was and is now. The affections for these panoramas and reminiscences are with us all and enhance our love of South Carolina. It is this sense of love which Madeline Carol attempts to capture in this latest painting, "Sharing Memories."

She travels to the shores of a lowcountry river near Charleston to visit the site of a vacant antebellum plantation whose house was built in the late 1850s. She uses a young couple as a centerpiece for the visit on the warm Saturday afternoon in spring. There they stand in living history surrounded by the old live oaks. The wisteria is in full bloom, and the azaleas are unfolding their radiant flowers. The light filtering through the branches carpets the ground in various shadows and colors. There is the sound of birds, and the air is fresh with the aroma of spring. The Spanish moss drapes this canopy of beauty, dressing it up like a gift for the visitor. In this captivating avenue of live oaks is the old house, stately but weathered, still sharing its presence with you. In the peace of this almost heavenly scene the memories of other times are bestowed upon you, the viewer, as the apparitions of those who once might have walked these lawns appear before you as almost real. The land and stately home share with you the now quiet memories of this historical place, and for a few seconds you are there with these living memories and sharing the bygone days.

Madeline Carol uses apparitions and colors to create the feelings of beauty and tranquility, while imparting in some reality the past memories of the beautiful place. The ghosts seem so real and so much a part of the landscape that it is alive, and you feel you are reliving some moments in their lives. It is the passing of a gentle breeze or the spirits of another time sharing with you the beauty of nature when upon gazing at the painting you feel you are there sharing the memories of love, beauty, and light in Madeline Carol's "Sharing Memories".

Madeline Carol, Capturing the Spirits
Art Gallery