Expressions

Comment

Comment by Art Mantia on June 6, 2012 at 11:51am

Kristen, it was a gradual transition with age. I have been thinking about periodically adding some of my old but new look work. It was your critique that revisited my thoughts about bringing back some of my old paintings. In fact I just added the painting I told you about, American Woman, named back in 1974. I renamed it today to add a little more interest and compared to an iconic well known image. I like to live life on the edge, American Lisa!

I will locate that painting that was the start of a different direction, I'll keep in touch.

Comment by Resident Curator on June 6, 2012 at 11:17am

Thanks for responding Ralph- I never considered that the piece was from that period- but rather influenced by the style!  It's even more interesting to note how your work has evolved, in this context.  Was it a slow transition, or more abrubt?  I'd be curious to see the ones in between.

Kristen

Comment by Art Mantia on June 5, 2012 at 8:30pm

I thank you very much for your critique and very observant evaluation and knowledge of this era and history of art. This painting is 35 years old and I was doing these graphic images or pop art when I was in my twenty's. I built my own canvas frames and stretched my own canvas that I bought in large rolls. I have other images that I created in different shapes, circular, triangular, and individual pieces that have as many as 6 shapes and images that fit together for one viewing and then re-arranged for another. One of my favorites is a shaped canvas called American Woman, an imaginary portrait. Thank You Again For Your Critique It Was Right On The Mark.

Comment by Resident Curator on June 5, 2012 at 7:28pm

Curator’s Comment:

 

This piece has a forthright simplicity that arrives at its subject in quite a different manner than most of your other works on the site.  While I also enjoy the more painterly, brushy surface of your other figurative works that generally include more representational environments, the hard-edged graphic Expressions truly stands out.  It resonates because of its wonderful contrast of pure, high chroma color, showing influence from pop, or 70’s psychedelic design, such as Peter Max.  The rupture in the corner of the purple frame with escaped bubbles is a whimsical, airy feature, and softens the rigid candor of the figure.  The lower contrast of color and value within the face also imparts a more humanistic, rather than mechanical quality.