EXPRESSIONISM ON THE DINING ROOM TABLE--OR, WHY MY REFRIGERATOR IS NAKED

My refrigerator is naked.  It normally sports the usual…reminders of events, clever thoughts, announcements of upcoming weddings, a list of things to buy.  The most prominent display is usually made up of the latest achievements by young family creatives.  I recently cleared the space in anticipation of new works to be done by artists in residence.

Then while I was making pies in the kitchen the unpredictable painters decided to change their medium from crayons and copy paper to poster paints and newsprint. 

I must apologize in advance for the condition of the pieces.  See, the art work had to be rolled up rather quickly and stashed because dinner was ready.  Then Thomas (the huge black cat) found the large spool of crunchy paper and attacked it; resulting in an addition of some distressed texture.

This first piece is called, “It Is Not My Turn to Clean the Fish Tank.”  It is a classic example of neo expressionism reminiscent of Mark Rothko.  The muted colors reflect the feelings of water, pond scum and adversity.

 This one is “Skating in Strawberry Jam.”  The dramatic reds give rise to the basic human emotions of delight and pleasure.  The sweeping brushwork communicates both gliding movement and adhesiveness.

 “Items Found Under the Sofa Cushions” conveys the artist’s distilled approach to a variety of organic sensations.   Tactile senses are represented as well as aroma and biological objects.

 

“A Witch Being Eaten By a Dragon While She Has the Key to the Treasure Chest in Her Pocket”   The artist’s use of contrasting,  yet sparse color and shape expresses the dramatic disparity of emotions as well as spontaneous yet confused response.

As stated earlier the art was produced in large scale on a roll of newsprint...too big to fit on the refrigerator door.  Thus my refrigerator door is, at the moment, unadorned.