P. Buckley Moss Symbolism
The Fledgling
In Pat’s history as an artist, the fledgling first appears in the pages of her St. Thomas Aquinas’ Book on Man, but it is believed that she actually started drawing the little bird quite a bit earlier. The bird also appears in an early etching of St. Francis, eventually evolving in Moss’ art to become a personal symbol for the artist; the underlying belief being that even an ugly little bird can still make beautiful music despite its outward appearance.
Traditionally, the baby bird is symbolic of the human soul or in Eastern art as the quest of the soul to return to the Divine. In Moss art, the little fledgling inspires the viewer to, "Open your mouth and sing your own song," or in essence become the person you truly aspire to be using all your God given talents while being true to yourself.
The Canada Geese
Throughout the history of western art and civilization geese served as religious icons to which virtuous qualities were attached. In early Christian art they represented the theological idea of Divine Providence. They were harbingers of weather and changes of season, and therefore seen as blessings from God. It was noted by some that geese mate for life and both the male and female participate in the raising of baby birds. This observation evolved with geese becoming symbols for loyalty and matrimony.
The one unappealing aspect of the goose is its clawed webbed foot. Traditionally, the webbed foot is a symbol for pride, a sin. During Medieval and Renaissance times, the devil was often shown with the webbed foot as part of its appendages.
Pat’s Canada Geese are symbols of Divine Providence. They are often painted in pairs to represent loyalty, matrimony and vigilance. Pat paints her geese without their feet so as not to have any negative connotations associated with her symbols of divinity.
The Horse
From the very beginning of human history, the horse has played an important part in the imagery of artists. It continues to this day with images created by contemporary artists like P. Buckley Moss. The horse has traditionally been symbolic of human sexuality/sensuality or freedom. Pat’s horses, with their flaring nostrils and flowing manes represent a spirit of freedom. The horses have an underlying sensuality as they are painted in the foreground, portrait style and are usually eye to eye with the viewer.
When shown in paintings with the plain people, they are always bridled in some way. This silent visual message represents the plain people as virtuous and with the ability to control their baser human emotions and carnal desires.
The Plain People
When Pat arrived in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia in 1964, she became acquainted with the Amish and Old Order Mennonites who lived in the counties surrounding Waynesboro. While the plain people have a long history going back to the Anabaptists, Pat’s highly stylized interpretation of them is both generic and symbolic. The figures do not represent specific individuals, but are used for their visual archetypal value.
With their strong work ethic, traditional lifestyle and devotion to faith, family and community these plain people became part of her iconography; symbolic “Living Saints,” supplanting earlier Catholic ones. The elongated figures, part of Pat’s unique style, are shown as hard working, faithful, and family oriented. The woman is often depicted holding a basket of eggs or a baby in a basket to represent new life. The man is often shown with a bucket of sticks, a symbol of manhood or fertility, which is a common symbol found throughout art history.
The figures are depicted holding a basket of apples to indicate both a strong work ethic and the ‘fruits’ of labor. The female figures are painted as slightly transparent with the landscape showing through part of the torso. This transparency is used to symbolize the ‘earth mother’ or woman’s intuitive nature.
Moss Trees
Pat has remarked that a friend of hers once said that as the artist, she was like the tree in her paintings, in the foreground observing the scene beyond. Moss trees are defined by a strength of character created from graceful, sensuous lines in a crisp clean style that is easily identifiable. While quite obviously a tree, it represents more than just a tree in a landscape. The black tree in Moss art is steeped in symbolic meanings.
Trees have been used as symbols for over 2000 years in both Christian and non-Christian art. The black tree often appears in the foreground of the image becoming the symbolic silent witness to the scene. In Christian art, biblical references abound, “The Tree of Knowledge,” the “Family Tree,” and “Tree of the Cross.” In pagan art, the tree was worshiped as a nature spirit by the Druids. In Moss art, the tree can be a witness to a scene (Within My Soul), the cross of the crucifixion (Sugar Valley Farm, Blue Crucifixion) or sometimes a reference to the family tree (All in a Tree).
The branches of Moss trees often extend beyond the confines of a circular format, a technique dating from the period of the Renaissance, which allows the subject within the painting to extend out into the world of the viewer. The black tree is one of Pat’s most recognizable forms of iconography and a favorite subject among collectors.
The Religious Works:
The Madonna
The Madonna is depicted as a saintly and loving, protective and suffering, archetypal female. She is one of the most common forms of iconography found in both art and literature. The Virgin Mary historically is seen as the earth mother, goddess, protector and holy creator.
Pat often paints the Madonna both with and without child. The depiction of the mother-figure shows the influence of her Catholic upbringing and her respect for the mother-child bond. Pat has created two versions of her Blue Madonna, one an oil painting and one an etching, yet there are other lesser well known Madonnas in Pat’s historic collection that are as worthy of respect as any great Renaissance masterpiece.