The Meadow: Eric Aho’sLandscapes in theVon Auersperg Gallery

The interplay between the real and abstract also resonated with viewers. “I remember looking at the paintings and thinking they were a collection of free brushstrokes and abstract portrayals,” said Jonathan Xu ’28. “But when I looked closer, there were these realistic and delicate details of the flowers and leaves. I felt like I was inspired by the many layers of complexity in his work, and I think I might be trying to explore this balance in my own art.” Aho added that the Deerfield area was a fitting place to showcase his series of work. “Long before my son attended Deerfield, I spent time in that valley painting. 20 years ago, I painted the onion fields just down below, and at various turns in the river.” He then reflected on the openness of the area, noting how “the campus is broad, beautifully lit, and exposed in a way.” He added, “Considering the richness of the intellectual activity and the creativity that happens at Deerfield, I thought the meadow—the broadness of that open space—would make perfect sense to my audience.” Aho also mentioned his hope to capture an element of Deerfield that is often overlooked by students: “The area along the river is where fireflies occur during the summer, sadly, when all the students are gone. They last about a month, maybe six weeks, so the Deerfield students miss them. So I thought, in my paintings, to bring that magical experience of the fireflies to the community.” The artworks were left open to viewers to freely form their own interpretations and meanings. “Fundamentally, one of the first things that a painting does is it places us somewhere, and you come to stand before something and place yourself in front of another place,” he explained. “The other thing the painter does is they give you enough information to have an experience you’ve never experienced before. I’m not in the room, but I’m there connecting with you to say, ‘Here’s how I saw this, how do you see it?’” As a word of advice for young artists, Aho emphasized the importance of observation. “Look closely at the world around you— slow down, pay attention, and try to draw it or paint it,” he said. “And when you draw it or paint it, also realize that we don’t know what we’re doing. I’ve been painting for almost forty years, and I don’t know what I’m doing. That’s okay. Embrace the curiosity and ask yourself, ‘What is that out there?’ and then you have an experience that is truly, truly, your own.”