A collection of paintings titled, Roots and Branches, by local artist Ocean Starr Cline is on display at the Tomato Head in Market Square. Besides being an artist, Cline is a local educator, blogging philosopher, as well as a full-time mother. Cline has been a presence in Knoxville’s art community for almost ten years, and painting for nearly twenty.
Roots and Branches is inspired by her own experiences as a Buddhist and a mother to her three year old daughter. Cline finds meaning in heritage, something she says she connected with through hand embroidery. For Cline, the Roots and Branches collection captures where we’re from and where we’re going. However, she claims that her interpretation doesn’t really matter.
In her blog, Cline describes the feeling of sharing her work, which is nerve-racking for any creative mind. To her, painting is as much of an expression of her own thoughts and emotions as it is the viewer’s. In a way, both the viewer and the artist are opening themselves to each other. What she hopes to bring to any room in which her paintings are hanging, certainly what we hope to share with our guests, is simply happiness that can be shared together.
In that spirit, the interpretations that she finds interesting are those of the viewers.
Cline’s paintings are not only interesting for their symbolism. Her use of texture and colors produce bright, complex scenes. Cline uses a wide spectrum of materials beneath her paint in order to create interesting textures, such as sawdust, leaves, fabric, and fibers.The colors used in Roots and Branches were chosen by her daughter, who has actually begun to sell her own art. That’s right, the same three year old daughter is a budding young artist with a talented mom as a coach.
You can read more about Cline’s work, inspirations, and her philosophy surrounding art by visiting her blog or her webpage. Ocean Starr Cline’s work will be on display at the Tomato Head location in Market Square through the end of February. Roots and Branches will also be displayed at the Tomato Head on Kingston Pike during the month of March.
