Art Tells a Story - Seeing Red

It’s amazing how a color can make a difference in the mood of a painting. In my painting “Seeing Red”, the entire mood would change if I had put this still life onto a light background and it would tell an entirely different story. It would also send a different vibe if the glass in the lantern were clear and the rose was pink or yellow. It might still send a bit of a moody feel with the dark background but it wouldn’t have as much drama as the red presents it with. Do you read a story when you look at artwork? You may not always sense the same thing that the artist did when they created the piece, but each painting will still begin to tell you a story when you view it. In still life I like to imagine who would be the owner of the objects and what was taking place when they were all put together. In my painting “Seeing Red” one could wonder where the items are and why are they placed there? Are they preparing to light the lantern or has the event that was to take place been abandoned? What story comes to mind for you?