World of Wilskas

Special Presentation at the Lower Road Movie Shed at 8:45 PM: “The Thomas Crown Affair”
Special Kids' Presentation at 11:30AM on Saturday: “Painting Your Very Own Atarah”

The Atarah Naylor Collection
You are proudly invited to attend the largest assembled ever private collection of Atarah Naylor originals. Combing the far flung reaches of the east coast from Palm Beach to Monument Beach, a private investor has gone to great lengths perfecting this critically acclaimed collection. However, due to a real estate investment gone bad in Sandwich MA, he has been forced to liquidate. His misfortune is your greatest opportunity to indulge yourself by purchasing fine art by one of the most overlooked talents of her time.

Featured works key:

European Hotel
In this, one of her earliest works, Naylor incorporated her frequent European travel as a practice ground for developing a mastery over classic geometric shapes. Although her works ultimately veered from the symmetrical and uniform to the more chaotic and frenetic, this work is a fine example Naylor’s melding of disparate visions into one. The hotel structure itself, for example, blends Big Ben, a Parisian café and a Bavarian village into an inextricably woven tapestry.

Crazy-Eyed Horse
Perhaps one of Naylor’s best known works, this piece captures a sense of auspicious turbulence lurking ahead- perhaps intimating to Naylor’s own rumored bouts of mood swings. Whereas on the right side of the canvas light sand reflects back towards the airy blue skies, the left simultaneously reveals a darkening and menancing approach. And apropos to the title, the horse’s eyes do seem obviously disturbed- the angry blood shot and somewhat askew eyes and erect ears put the world on notice that no amount of sugar cubes will appease this soul. This work went missing in 2005 and was thought to be lost.



Matador and Crazy-Eyed Bull
Reportedly stolen from a Wilska family function, this exceedingly popular work represents another dark period in the turbulent life of Atarah Naylor. The Matador, or “The Man” as known in popular African American culture seeks to subdue the defiant nature of a magnificent beast. Erect, perfect posture, straightened and buoyed by the vestiges of patrician wealth, the matador is always firmly in control in this battle. The end pre-ordained, the struggle becomes farcical, as the matador is never in real danger. The scene poignantly turns the bull into tragic hero, never being empowered to have a chance. As the blood runs out of the beast, a classic tip of the hat to menstruation, we are left to contemplate womankind’s place in Naylor’s view of society. Again, Naylor’s telltale crazed red eyes signal a latent passion.



Sperm Whale in Surf
Little known to most Naylor aficionados, this ode to conception captures the literal and figurative reproductive surge to the calm in an otherwise turbulent sea. As the sperm whale drives onward towards a single patch of blue, a hope for new life buoys the audience as the backdrop of clear blue sky promises happiness to be realized. Water, harkening to its historical significance as purifier and cleanser, is employed to further heighten the promise of new life. While the whale’s eyes are not depicted in this painting, there have been many discussions as to whether or not they would possess Naylor’s telltale red and cross eyes.



5. Everest Hut in Spring (Himalayan Side)
This Everest Hut incorporates Naylor’s oft-used technical juxtaposition of disparate objects- in this case a rustic Swiss ski chalet at the foot of Mount Everest. The sheer starkness and ominous foreboding of Everest in the background of Julie Andrewesqe pastoral landscape typify Naylor’s recurring touchtone theme that violence emotional eruptions are an omnipresent threat.



6. Yosemite Water Fall
Nature’s raw force is framed in its dark glory in this early Naylor work.



7. Grand Canyon at Dusk
Dark and brooding, Naylor’s vision of Grand Canyon at dusk is reminiscent of the gates of Hell.



8. Ram’s Breath on Nativity Play
Easily one of Naylor’s most unappreciated, yet significant works, Ram’s Breath is an ode to Naylor’s conception of the Nativity. The puffy cloud resembling a beast blowing gently onto the stage signifies nature’s approbation of mankind’s modern homage the nativity. The stage, replete with studio spotlights, has garnered even more powerful lighting from above, one bright shining star carried upon magnificent rays of color. Not so subtly, a cross hanging suspended above the tableau foreshadows great sacrifice in the Messiah’s future.



9. Crazy-Eyed Jesus
The artist’s rendering of Jesus’s eyes in her tell tale “crazy eyes” shares her conception of Christ as a mixture of the God of the Old and New Testaments. While Jesus’s offers the sign of peace in what is certainly a play on God’s willingness to love his chosen people unfailingly, the eyes show that the Old Testament God of fire and Brimstone and smoting and flooding is never but a mortal sign from returning. The subject melds easily with Naylor’s oft played themes of turbulence boiling under shallow veils of calmness.



10. Everest Hut in Spring (Pakistani Side)
Similar in most regards to its sister painting, this view of fearsome Everest from the vantage of a ski village in springtime foreshadows pitting the looming brute force of nature against the ephemeral of machinations of mankind. While delicate the mountain grasses signal a truce between these two foes, their thready texture belie the tenuousness of the bartered peace.



11. Nude Temptress with Bunion
This nude, the prize of the Atarah Naylor collection, makes a rare public appearance. The crazy eyes speak of turmoil beneath and the not-so-subtle forbidden fruit harkens to the Genesis story of creation. While this exquisite work’s model’s identity has not been determined, the private investor has made the extraordinary acquisition of the red upholstered arm chair used for the pose. The chair is currently on private display in the Hyannis, MA residence of the private investor.



****Eht harata edoc.*****
****A aksliW erutnevda. *****
****Gnimoc noos ot a ylimaf ekab-malc rean uoy. *****
****S’harata skrow era a yek ot a ylimaf terces dna erusaert. *****
****Dib no reh krowtra. Emos fo reh sgnitniap niatnoc seulc ot eht erusaert ******