Indelible Impressions: Les Oiseaux Au Jardin D’Or

Les Oiseaux au Jardin D'Or ©Nefertiti

By Jan Feighner

Nefertiti’s “Les Oiseaux au Jardin D’Or” is part of her “Tapisserie Florales Suite,” an extraordinary nine-piece series that demonstrates the talented artist’s gifted eye for detail, beauty, nature, and ancient cultures. Her love of printmaking, painting, sketching, and color translates into large works reminiscent of the finest Persian tapestries.

I first viewed her work at Ursinus College’s Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art in Collegeville, Pennsylvania several years ago. Immediately noticeable were meticulous designs and vibrant tones situated within exquisite borders. Many sported traditional Near- and Far-East shapes and symbolism. Others spoke of modern ideas presented as bold, lavish illustrations. All lured me further into their individual stories.

These images are reminiscent of the splendid Arabian Nights collection each narrating a part of everyman, requiring us to view life in different ways, to dream of what could be, and to appreciate what we know in our collective consciousness.

“Les Oiseaux au Jardin D’Or,” a 44 by 36 inch, 50-print edition, is no different. Its ovular center background draws the eye inward toward the main subject, an Oriental vase bedecked with bi-colored oceanic swirls and angel-winged Ryukin goldfish lightly plumed with two kinds of orchids.

Delicate tri-colored flowers drape the vessel’s sides like a flock of low flying gulls skimming water while six larger, more ostentatious blooms similar to graceful egrets taking flight flutter overhead. Their stalks anchor them to the vase’s fluted striped neck as if trying to chain them to the manmade earthenware: taming the wild within and around us.

Immediately framing this scene are two-toned leaves akin to feathers with birds in the corners and center feeding communally, reinforcing the print’s avian theme. Two at each end and four on both middle sides allude to nature’s pairing, that no creature is alone in this universe, sharing even basic necessities.

The border is very much Nefertiti’s: elaborate, detailed, and remarkable. Here she truly demonstrates her skill at recreating the feel of old world Persian rugs. “Les Oiseaux au Jardin D’Or” entails two rows of markedly different patterns not readily apparent at first glance that unite her inner shades with outer and create an edge that seems woven not painted.

Nefertiti begins with many sketches that she eventually transfers to linoleum plates. She cuts them with extreme precision and has prints made professionally due to her works’ large dimensions. Once the high-grade rag paper dries, she hand paints each usually with watercolor and gouache so every one is unique.

I have loved Nefertiti’s art since that first moment I viewed it years ago.  Although I have not kept abreast of her progress until recently, her haunting images have remained emblazoned on my mind.

Jan Feighner: Writer and art critic residing in Pennsylvania.

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ALL IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHTED ©NEFERTITI.  THIS MEANS THAT THESE WORKS ARE NOT TO BE LIFTED BY SNAPSHOTS, USE FOR REPRODUCTIONS OR ANY OTHER INFRINGEMENTS WITHOUT THE CONSENT OF THE ARTIST!