American illustrator who turned simple living, seasonal rhythms, self-reliance into lifetime of art introduced in Seoul
Sometimes art comes across as difficult, and one struggles to understand the meaning of the work. But at its core, art exists to bring us comfort and inspiration. American illustrator Tasha Tudor’s drawings and paintings are a perfect example.
The artist who lived from 1915 to 2018 was known for a quiet, yet decisive slow pace in pursuit of a 19th-century New England lifestyle that values simplicity, nature and joy in everyday tasks. She lived in a cottage in Vermont with her children and held a special fondness for corgis as her lifetime companions.
Scenes with family, tending her garden, knitting and cooking at the cottage are recurring motifs in her pencil and watercolor drawings. Her cottage was built by her eldest son, Seth, using traditional methods.
The heartwarming and peaceful moments from everyday life have been brought to Seoul ahead of Christmas in some 190 original drawings, paintings, handmade dolls and more shown at the “Still, Tasha Tudor” exhibition at the Lotte Museum of Art.
“For Tudor, true happiness came from a life where nature, animals and people lived in harmony. She never searched for subjects far away — her inspiration was always close at hand, in the everyday moments shared with children, animals and the simple rhythms of home,” Lee Min-ji, director of Lotte Museum of Art, said Wednesday.
Tudor admired Henry David Thoreau — the American writer and philosopher known for his ideas on simple living and self-reliance — for his nature-centered way of life, as shown in a documentary on Tudor, “A Still Water Story,” released in 2017.
Through the exhibition, one may feel that her life evokes a kind of fairy-tale “Walden,” shaped by self-reliance and her harmony with nature.
“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours,” from Henry David Thoreau's “Walden,” is Tudor’s favorite line and a guiding philosophy for her life, according to the documentary.
After debuting with her first picture book, “Pumpkin Moonshine,” at the age of 23 in 1938, Tudor went on to illustrate more than 100 books. She cherished each season, taking delight in its changes and distinctive characteristics.
Tudor had a special affection for winter, especially quiet snowfall, and Christmas was one of the popular themes in her illustrations, which often depicted families gathering to exchange gifts or decorating a tree.
“Christmas and Valentine’s Day were among her most cherished times of the year, moments she believed were meant to be spent with family,” the curator said, showing the painting “Tasha's Christmas Stockings,” which is one of the signature Christmas illustrations by the artist.
“By placing children, animals and even dancing mice side by side in her illustrations, Tudor captured her signature vision of a world where nature and humanity coexist with gentle balance,” she said.
The exhibition is the largest to be held in Asia and coincides with the 110th anniversary of her birth. Tudor died at the age of 92, surrounded by family at her Vermont home.
“We hope your visit provides insight not only into her creative practice, but also into the cultural values and traditions that shaped her life's work,” the artist’s granddaughter Amy Tudor said in a statement.
The exhibition was made possible via an avid Korean collector of Tudor’s works. The museum, however, has kept the patron's identity confidential. The exhibition runs through March 15.
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