Artwork copyright Madge Gleeson. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Artwork copyright Madge Gleeson. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Artwork copyright Madge Gleeson. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Artwork copyright Madge Gleeson. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Artwork copyright Madge Gleeson. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission.

Napavine Sight Survey, 1984

Madge Gleeson
American (born 1945)

Location: Napavine Junior-Senior High School, Napavine

About the Artwork

Napavine Sight Survey is a triptych painting by artist Madge Gleeson. The three panels combine together to create a picture within a picture. She based the imagery on photographs she took in the Napavine area. She found inspiration from layered images of Mount St. Helens in a 19th century curtain printed with advertisements. This curtain was on display in the Lewis County Historical Museum in Chehalis, Washington. She notes, "Although the curtain is flat canvas, it depicts layers of fabric and a painted fringe. My piece parodies the fringe and the concept of images within images, along with the tension between the flat surface of the painting and the three dimensional qualities it depicts… I attempted to give the piece the feeling of a game or unsolved puzzle using both compositional devices and theme to create situations of mystery and contradiction."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Napavine School District.

About the Artist

Madge Gleeson creates prints, drawings and paintings that explore conceptual narratives and digital media.
Gleeson is Professor Emeritus at Western Washington University in Bellingham (Northwestern Washington), where she taught since 1983. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree in teaching from Brown University in Rhode Island. In 1976, she received a Master of Fine Arts degree from Washington State University in Pullman, Eastern Washington.