Sandra Mendelsohn Rubin takes her paintings to new heights, literally. In her latest body of work, Rubin has referenced aerial photography to capture the sprawling landscapes surrounding her home. Located in Northern California’s Mendocino County, the picturesque region is home to Redwood forests and a fertile agricultural industry. As she began documenting these locations, she became intrigued by how human presence has altered landscape, and the ever-changing relationship between nature and mankind. 

In the painting “Irrigation Pond,” Rubin depicts cultivated farmland as seen from above. The segmented fields almost resemble a patchwork quilt, contrasted by two brilliant blue ponds that glisten like inlaid jewels. When Rubin came across this particular landscape, she imagined the ponds as if they were eyes of water peeking through the earth.

An exhibition of Rubin’s paintings “A Common Thread” opens at L.A. Louver on February 18, 2015. Join us for the opening from 6-8 pm.

IMAGE: Sandra Mendelsohn Rubin, Irrigation Pond, 2013, oil on polyester, 4 x 10 in. (10.2 x 25.4 cm)