Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Fresh Impressions - Art Opening


Torch Song - left, Reckless Abandon - right 

Sunday, December 4th was the opening for my exhibit Fresh Impressions at the Good News Cafe in Woodbury, Connecticut.

Fresh Impressions 2011

In my latest collection of paintings, Fresh Impressions, I'm exploring an abstract direction inspired by Impressionist techniques, brush strokes, and color chemistry. Rather than conveying an impression of a landscape or still life, they are internal landscapes of emotion and states of being. My intention is to create works of art that resonate various energies and lead the eye into deeper dimensions. I hope viewers will respond to each piece uniquely, engaging in a quiet, personal conversation through visual meditation. 
 Works 1 and 2


 1. Bubbling Over - Acrylic on 24" x 24" canvas, 2011


 2. Nature's Symphony - Acrylic on 24" x 36" canvas, 2011

Works, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

3. After Noon - Acrylic on 24" x 36" canvas, 2011

4. Torch Song - Acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas, 2011
5. Reckless Abandon - Acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas, 2011
6. Levity - Acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas, 2011

Works 4, 5, 6, 7

7. Lost in Love - Acrylic on 20" x 30" canvas, 2011

 Works 8, 9, 10

8. Heart Beats - Acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas, 2011

9. Morning Meditation - Acrylic on 24" x 36" canvas, 2011

10. Mystic Journey - Acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas, 2011

Work 11

11. Pure Intentions - Acrylic on 12" x 24" canvas, 2011

Works 12, 13, 14

12. "Softly She Whispered..." - Acrylic on 24" x 36" canvas, 2011
13. Sweet Surrender - Acrylic on 18" x 24" canvas, 2011
14. Afterglow - Acrylic on 18" x 24" canvas, 2011

Works 15, 16, 17, 18

15. Alive Again - Acrylic on 18" x 24" canvas, 2011

16. Untitled - Acrylic on 24" x 36" canvas, 2011

17. Child's Play - Acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas, 2011
18. Wildfire - Acrylic on 16" x 20" canvas, 2011

We arrived early to hang two extra paintings in a nook I wasn't aware of in the bar when we had originally come to hang the show. The nook was the perfect excuse to hang one of my paintings I really wanted to show, but was on the fence about. 

Autonomous Connections

This painting, Autonomous Connections, is a piece I can credit for leading me on the path towards this current series. The only question was what ELSE to hang in that space...

 Jazz (diptych)

I chose Jazz because if Autonomous Connections was one of the original steps in the direction that would eventually lead me to this current series, then Jazz was the step before that. 

Funny enough, it was this piece Jazz that brought about a most interesting conversation with one of the visitors of the opening. A very engaging and thoughtful woman whom I shared lengthy conversations with about art, travel, and music. She saw instruments in this piece and felt music before she knew what the title was. I liked that a lot.

The following pictures are of Marlow Shami's exhibit, showing in the other dining room. Her digital collages are mesmerizing and you can learn more about Marlow and her work at www.marlowshami.com




The bar in between both rooms was a great way to tie everyone together as people mingled throughout the restaurant. Having our own rooms, Marlow and I were able to establish our own shows as distinct presentations. Meanwhile, it felt like our shows were playing "telephone" with each other with the bar as the connecting line. It was so great seeing some friends I haven't seen in a while. I only wish I had taken more pictures! 



 Marlow, Chuck (curator), and I

Exhibit runs through January 31, 2012 at the Good News Cafe, Woodbury, CT.

Saturday, December 03, 2011

Fresh Impressions Preview: After Noon

After Noon - Acrylic on 24" x 36" canvas, 2011

I think this is my favorite of the new series. It is a now-not-so-secret nod to Lee Krasner's painting Noon that has firmly planted itself in my mental slideshow of paintings that have rocked my world for life. I think that Noon was the original subconscious inspiration to create this series, now that I have had the opportunity to take a step back and take it all in. Monet's water lilies were also part of that mental slideshow - the abstract moments of color and mark are spectacular when you see the giant canvases in person (which I was fortunate to do years ago at the MoMA). Of course, at the end of the day, these paintings are mine. Sometime late last year I got into circles. The circles began to deconstruct. The marks became looser. Everything became more freeing. The process is what has driven this new series but that's me talking as the artist. In time, I think I will see these paintings more clearly from the perspective of the observer and I will then understand them more completely.

This painting is one of twenty that will be exhibited at the Good News Cafe through January 31. See previous post for more information.