Marshfield Rhody

Marshfield, MA

From a convenient, shaded location on Main Street during the hub-bub and foot traffic of the North River Arts Society (NRAS) festival, this constrained vignette of a genteel outdoor space conveyed an inviting mood. The profusely blossomed rhododendron, in all its natural irregularity, is the dominant element in the composition, but is balanced by the rectangular, classical window frame; together with the narrow indication of a table setting and retaining wall, unifying the base of the piece. The muted lights from the background window added a depth and connection to an indoor space, contrasting the foreground space with its welcoming table, chair and floral bouquet. The sole sprig of a fern is a directional element, breaking the mass of the rhody, and the curve of the stone wall. The lights suggest activity in the nearby kitchen space, perhaps a preparation for tea service on the patio. The loosely executed palette of greens and blues and contrasting pink of the shrub are dominant, but are unified by analogous cool colors in the darks of the window, shutters and the home’s siding, with warm, related yellows in the lights and table setting.