Louise Kleinsorge Williams’s image, “At the General Store,” part of the It’s Magic gallery on LouiseWilliamsImages.com. (Used with permission.)
(Disclaimer: Louise is my wife, and I often help her in reviewing details of her images as well as maintaining her websites.)
“At the General Store” is a fun image that is artistically pleasing and has a pseudo-nostalgic feel, but poses a deep metaphysical question. Many of Louise’s pieces tell a story that can range from a simple vignette to a complex mystery. Her use of animals in lieu of humans, such as the shopkeeper in this image, allows a wider interpretation of the image and can make the subject more universal. At the same time, the cat working on the fish in the back of the store, and the spider near the ceiling, seem almost natural for the setting.
The picture shows the proprietor with a basket of eggs obtained from the chickens in the foreground. The caption tells us that in return, the bag of chicken feed sitting on the counter is the payment for the basket of eggs. However, one egg is broken, and the chick stares at us with concern. Newly hatched, it appears to be looking at us for help – what is its future? Does the chick belong to the proprietor because it was an egg in payment for the feed? Or does the chick belong with the chicken, who is sheltering it with its wing? Its life is in the balance of this decision, but there is little indication of where it will end up, particularly since the proprietor is in control of both the eggs and the feed. But the proprietor is also looking at us; are we, the observers, supposed to decide? What decision seems right?