Color Target

Kenneth Noland (American, 1924-2010)
Heat, 1958
image: kennethnoland.com


Noland's work developed out abstract expressionism and he became a significant Color Field painter. Color field painting often consists of solid areas of color covering the entire canvas, many times, the paint stained into the canvas (Morris Louis). Interest lies in the lyrical effects of these swathes of color. Noland was interested in the relationship with the edge of the picture and began his series of Targets, like today's painting.

Twilight expression

Twilight Sounds, 1947
Norman Lewis (American 1909-1979)
oil on canvas

image: arthistory.about.com

Lesser known abstract expressionist, which is unfortunate since much of his work is wonderful. Born and raised in NYC, Lewis spent much of his working life in Harlem. He had been commissioned along with other black artists to decorate the Harlem Art Center. His work varied over his career but he veered toward abstraction in the 1930s.

This work was part of a show I saw recently, Action/Abstraction and while hung alongside other unrepresented works did not appear remotely out of place amongst his abstract expressionist peers.

Cloudburst

Cloudburst
Elise Wagner (b. 1966)
encaustic on birch
48x48 in.
Image: Chase Gallery

I just got the June/July issue of Art in America. When I get a new issue I flip through the gallery ads first, making note of images that peak my interest. I then go back through and head to the internets to see more of the particular artists' work. Sometimes it makes its way to the blog. I think it is great to introduced to work of artists working and exhibiting today who aren't uber-well known.

While I was initially drawn to the bleeding color of the image, I was excited to see that the medium of the work is encaustic. I briefly worked with encaustic in college. It is essentially a colored wax that is heated to a liquid and applied with a brush to the canvas (in this case to the birch wood) and fuse it to the surface with a heat gun. You can play with the application, thin or thick, you can mold or etch. Encaustic is wonderfully versatile.

As many of you know, I'm an abstract girl when it comes to many of my art loves as well as my own work. One of the things I love about work like Wagner's is how much else you can see in it. Even before looking at her fairly descriptive titles, you can feel the weight natural affiliations in her work. If you look through her other current work you'll find an affinity for the celestial. "The texture and complexity of the surfaces often represent the great unknown and celestial, while the scientific symbolism suggests the accurate and quantifiable." (artist statement)

She also creates what look like wonderful monoprints, using another facet of the versatility of encaustic paint.

See more of her images that you can zoom in on in a show currently at Chase Gallery, in Boston

Abstract Still

1948-C, 1948
Clifford Still (1904-1980)
Oil on canvas
80 7/8 x 68 3/4 in. (205.4 x 174.6 cm)
Image: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

I'm very excited that the source of this image, online collections of the Hirshhorn provides all the information that you usually have to contact the registrar or library of the owning institution to find out. Provenance, Exhibition history and a bibliography (click on the title to see)

Someone mentioned Clifford Still to me lately and I decided that I need to revisit his work. I never jumped at the opportunity to see a Still, often glazing over galleries of his work in major museums but aware that there are often permanent dedicated galleries to his work if not galleries named after him. This particular work I came across (and may have seen on my one visit to the Hirshhorn) on a blog post. She used as a successful example of an abstract work to prove a point about a bad painting by a DC lobbyist using the same color scheme. While she doesn't say much about 1948-C, her brief criticism of the "bad" painting is telling and a pretty good jumping off point to looking at a more successful painting.

Many have heard people refer to many Modern paintings as something that "my kid could do" or my "kid did something just like that", you may have said something similar yourself. Much abstract Modern work can be very difficult to approach with open eyes, but the more time you take to look the more I believe viewers begin to see beyond the "style". Fall into the color and composition, balance. This is not to say that you'll love it, maybe you will, which would be awesome, but if you have any interest in broadening your level of appreciation, stop and spend a little time with a new abstract painting next time you get the chance. *Note, as we can see by the lobbyist's painting (which I wholeheartedly agree with sparkle pony is crap) not all work is going to be good and that bad work often makes it's way into museums.

Green

Green Green How I Love You Green, 1998-1999
Pat Steir (American, b. 1940)
h: 22 x w: 22 in
courtesy artnet

Can I choose a work because of its title? Yup. This is not to say I am not interested in this painting, I am, but the title drew me (as did the color). I originally planned on serving up the type of work I associate with Pat Steir (what I've seen in galleries) provoked this morning by the rain outside. (see more of Steir's work here).

To many, Steir paintings are reminiscent of Pollock, as the paint appears to have a life of its own, given freedom once loose from the end of the brush. What you begin to notice when you spend a little more time with these abstract paintings is that the marks and colors are deliberate, that the relationship the painter has with the materials as well as the action and control that occurs from hand to brush to paint to canvas is special. I do realize as I play around looking for more info on Steir, the diversity and beauty throughout her work and next time I'll post something completely different. Until then, I love green too.