I was originally drawn to Walter’s piece titled, “Today is a good day for being with a companion.” I liked his overall presentation, simplicity of the piece, and the title.
But, it was his work; “Fools like me” that drew me in. At first, I didn’t think it followed the theme of the show and although, I really like the arrangement, use of textures and colors, I was not going to select it. Then, I looked closer and saw the initials engraved into the tree and the heart, and I hoped it was his initials and his lover. I’m really drawn to his color choice, the way he created the ground, sun, sky and heaven without using a line, and the use of the squares to pull us in and guide us through the painting. The simple stark tree with the engraved heart wants to be the center of attention, but somehow falls into the background and blends into the feelings of his colors. I had a feeling of early morning, mid winter, with little life, but hope of a spring coming soon. Powerful! |
I really like Leon’s art. I found myself exploring the depth of his drawings for the symbolism and how he interpreted the theme in a dark, industrial way. The details kept me looking for more.
I know I don’t completely understand the metaphor and symbolism represented in his work, but I was captivated by the art. The cables and wires connecting the iconic image of a hear feel as though I’m seeing the inner workings of a person, but possibly a mechanical person; which leads me to the metaphor that is possible if I keep following that path.
The title gives me some insight, but expands the machine metaphor tied with the idea of love. I really like Leon’s work; although, I fought a guilt at being drawn to the dark side of love. |
I was instantly taken by this piece. At closer inspection, I was disappointed. For some reason, if the characters were pasted onto the piece, it took away from the work of art. But, I kept coming back to it, looking for the seam and trying to figure out if the figures were cutout and placed on the painting or actually painted. I’m still not certain, but imagine since the medium is “mixed media,” they must be photos.
I’m focused on the characters because I find this painting very interesting. The washed look as the sky bleeds into the ocean and the subtle images of a boat moored in the cove are very affective. The two characters are wonderful and brilliantly placed as to balance the rest of the canvas that insinuate so much.
Often artists will spend a career perfecting one image or theme or perspective. My bias obviously is affecting my feelings about using mixed media on a painting that could be a classic work of art, but I could see this painting in many versions as Joyce works to paint the characters and achieve the details she saw in the photograph. For instance, the characters are perfect, except the detail on the man’s shorts seem out of place and a distraction for me.
Finally, I wish I knew what the title means, because I’m confident it will only add more depth to a painting that already reaches into the furthest reaches of our imagination. |
As a sculptor, I was drawn to Janine’s unique combination of found objects. Her work appears to have multiple levels of depth and symbolism. When an artist uses found objects, I’m always looking for the overlapping symbolism. For instance artists who are addressing environmental issues by creating beautiful art out of plastic bottles to bring awareness to the value of recycling and the issue of plastic in our landfills. The found objects bring a narrative to the art that is difficult to create from a blank canvas.
The wood base Janine uses is a natural work of art by itself and probably has an interesting story. The accuracy of the heart reflects her medical background, but still maintains an artistic form. The seams, in contrast to the swirling accented lines painted on the metal are what make the work special for me. She uses a nice combination of colors that you would think should contrast against each other, but provides a texture that emphasizes the texture. The variety of surfaces, colors and imagery work well together to make the piece interesting and captivating enough to keep the viewer searching for more and more meaning. |
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I kept coming to Georgi’s “Red Lady” as an overall work of art and interesting subject. There are some technical issues that distract from the larger painting, but her use of texture and colors are beautiful. I was especially attracted and intrigued by the mixture of details and abstraction. If this is intended, it’s very nice. If it’s not intended, it’s the most interesting part of the work and you should continue to develop the technique.
The style reminds me of RC Gorman and the abstract poses in which he paints his women subjects.
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This is a very interesting and engaging piece. It captures your attention from a distance and then pulls you in to look for the deeper message. I must admit, I’m not smart enough to know what the message is, but I noticed the circled words and hoped it was intentional. The words added the potential of a narrative that could build on the classic adornment and symbolism of the work.
What moved this art from a top selection to honorable mention was in the details. I felt if the decorative features were more delicate, coupled with the bold colors it would have worked nicely with the finish. The current lines are bold and seem to blend together and appear heavy as opposed to light accents. I think the contrast between the heavy finish, bold cross shape, and then the delicate accents on top of the pattern of words could create something spectacular.
Overall it is beautiful and created an interesting piece on multiple levels. |
