Leonard Edmondson's Decorated For Bravery

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Leonard Edmondson is a California native, born in Sacramento in 1916. He began his art career in the University of California, Berkeley. Before his teaching career, he served in the Army from 1942 to 1946. Although Edmondson is eminent for his printmaking work, he has used various media in his art. In 1950, his work hit a turning point; his style changed from figuration to abstraction due to inspirational influence. The year 1951 was pivotal for Edmondson because he made his first etching during a course taught by Ernest Freed, and his first solo exhibition was held at the Felix Landau Gallery in Los Angeles. His artwork is valued highly because they express a form of feelings and spaces. The artwork that I liked was titled, “Decorated for Bravery.” I personally loved this art piece because it screams out fearless and dauntless. I believe the painting depicts a historic story that dates back to our ancestors who fought for a better life. On canvas, there is a stone mountain with some type of drawing on it. There is a circle decorated with dots, and on top of this circle is a pattern of designs all drawn with black ink. I think the circle indicates free spirit; we came to this…show more content…
The colors used in this work were black, green, dark blue, and crème. The crème color represents a lighted path, while the black emphasizes darkness. Green and blue are incorporated into the black, giving it a dramatic hue. The term “Exodus” gives the picture meaning. What is Exodus? I believe that the Exodus is the departure of the Israelites from Egypt under Moses. The lighted path is the path that the Israelites should follow. It represents the path of righteousness and the path to Jesus. The role of the black color is the evil the Israelites will encounter during their journey. This piece was color intaglio, and completed in 1961. It was in courtesy of the Toby C. Moss
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