Willard's latest collection, "Landscape Parables," serves as a profound narrative endeavor that bridges the realms of the familiar and the uncanny.

This body of work encapsulates Willard's enduring fascination with the poetic depth of ordinary things, a theme that has been a cornerstone of his artistic journey.

His integration of generative coding and digital rendering, while not initially rooted in technological prowess, has become a defining characteristic of his oeuvre, allowing him to craft intricate, open-ended narratives that challenge and expand the viewer's perception of everyday landscapes.

"Landscape Parables" presents ordinary elements, water towers, barns, and bulldozers, in a manner that subverts their conventional associations. These elements, sourced from previous generative projects like "Southern Gothic" and "Ordinary Places," are recontextualized within staged still-life compositions.

This approach not only emphasizes the individuality of each element but also invites viewers to question the familiarity of these structures and their roles within the larger narrative.

The resulting dissonance generates an uncanny effect, prompting a deeper engagement with the depicted scenes.

The uncanny nature of these works is further accentuated by Willard's compositional strategies. Drawing inspiration from a diverse range of influences, including the simplicity of a horizon line as explored in Billy Collins' poem "Horizon," Willard constructs landscapes that straddle the boundary between reality and imagination.

The use of digital modeling and generative scripting allows for the meticulous arrangement of elements, creating a surreal experience that blurs the line between actual landscapes and dreamlike visions.

Melancholy, a recurring theme in Willard's art, is poignantly expressed through his visual narratives. His depictions of rural landscapes evoke a sense of romanticized isolation, where the serene beauty of the countryside is juxtaposed with an underlying sense of dread.

This duality is evident in the emptiness of his scenes, which are conspicuously devoid of human presence, thereby amplifying the emotional resonance of the depicted structures.

In "Landscape Parables," the overt staging of scenes plays a crucial role in storytelling.

Each composition is meticulously planned, often beginning with sketches that focus on the mass and position of elements. These sketches are then translated into digital models, with the final pieces evolving through a dynamic process that balances initial conceptualizations with emergent artistic insights.

This methodical approach ensures that each element contributes to the overarching narrative, reinforcing the collection's thematic coherence.

Ultimately, "Landscape Parables" invites viewers to engage deeply with its visual and thematic layers.

The title itself suggests a didactic element, with each piece offering subtle lessons and commentaries on the nature of landscapes. Willard hopes that viewers will interpret these scenes through their own life experiences, finding personal resonance within the uncanny and the ordinary.

By reframing familiar elements within a narrative context, Willard challenges us to see the world anew, uncovering the poetic depths that lie beneath the surface of everyday life.