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    Sublime Plein Air Paintings by Jeremy Sams Are Photographed Against Lush North Carolina Landscapes

    
    Art
    #acrylic
    #landscapes
    #painting
    #plein airJanuary 31, 2022Grace EbertAll images © Jeremy Sams, shared with permissionWhen painting in plein air, artist Jeremy Sams scours the landscapes around his home in Archdale, North Carolina, for a spot that rouses all of his senses. “It begins in your initial journey, whether it’s a hike through a place of natural solitude with all of the smells and cool breezes or just a stroll down a street with the melodies of urban life,” he shares.He then paints sublime interpretations of the nearby landscape, relying on a realistic color palette in acrylic to render slightly blurred edges and the location’s generally serene qualities: overlaid by a dreamy haze, brooks reflect the surrounding trees, a small brood of chickens pecks at spring grass, and snow melts into a rocky stream.In a note to Colossal, Sams says he’s most attracted to places layered with contrast, sometimes in the form of light and shadow or disparities in color and others when natural features are positioned alongside human interventions like pathways and barns. “Whatever it is that draws my attention, there is something truthful about the landscape that begs to be painted,” he shares. “This is one of the reasons that I do very little editing to the scene on my canvas, but I try to capture the essence of that thing which initially drew me in.”Sams tends to photograph his finished paintings against their original source, which you can see more of on Instagram.
    #acrylic
    #landscapes
    #painting
    #plein airDo stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now! Share this story  More

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    Stars, Circles, and Symbols in Primary Colors Form Astrological Maps and Coded Works by Shane Drinkwater

    
    Art
    #acrylic
    #paintingJanuary 25, 2022Grace EbertAll images © Shane Drinkwater, shared with permissionAs a child, Australian artist Shane Drinkwater (previously) was fascinated by maps, astronomical charts, and ciphers. “This possibly relates to my dyslexia: images and shapes had a strong attraction whereas words on paper were a difficult subject,” he tells Colossal. “I found maps on paper quite appealing, coloured shapes and unraveling a code to find a path in the real world.”This cartographic interest permeates the artist’s current body of work, which features dots, stars, dashes, and concentric circles arranged in vast systems and imaginary cosmic charts. Rendered in acrylic on paper or canvas, the hypnotizing works rely mostly on neutral tones similar to that of weathered parchment combined with reds, blues, and yellows. This influence comes from medieval illuminated manuscripts, which used “primary colours for maximum visual impact,” he says.Drinkwater, who was born in Tasmania and currently lives in Queensland, has pieces available at Cavin-Morris Gallery, Pulp, and Copenhagen Outsider Art Gallery, along with a solo show slated for June at Boom Gallery in Victoria. He recently collaborated with the clothing brand indi + ash to create patterns for some of its garments, which you can see more of on Instagram.
    #acrylic
    #paintingDo stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now! Share this story  More

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    Serene Wooded Landscapes Nestle Inside Introspective Silhouette Paintings by Megan Aline

    
    Art
    #acrylic
    #landscapes
    #nature
    #painting
    #silhouettesJanuary 24, 2022Grace Ebert“Everything Changes,” acrylic on panel, 16 x 12 inches. All images © Megan Aline, shared with permissionIn Unseen Roots, artist Megan Aline fills silhouettes with brush, autumn foliage, and tall, skinny trees that span from torso to crown. Her solo show at Robert Lange Studio in Charleston consists of dozens of acrylic works that expose a small glimpse of a landscape hidden within each figure. “As we become increasingly disconnected from the natural world, I think the memory of nature becomes even stronger inside each of us,” the artist shares. “If you only spent weekends in the woods or summers at your grandmothers or you have a park you visit from time to time, it becomes the quiet space inside you that you can escape to even when you aren’t there.”To render the contemplative works, Aline paints inside a stenciled silhouette on panel, which creates crisp outlines of each figure—she shares videos of this process on Instagram—and visible brushstrokes in pastel and neutral tones comprise the paintings’ backdrops. “As an artist, I spend a lot of time reflecting inwardly as I paint outwardly,” she writes. “I like the idea that we have an ‘inner landscape,’ a map created from emotions, ideas, and sensations collected throughout our lives.”Unseen Roots is on view through January 28, and you can shop prints of Aline’s introspective silhouettes on her site. (via Supersonic Art)“Deepest Pathways,” acrylic on panel, 16 x 16 inches“Deeper Time,” acrylic on panel, 20 x 20 inchesTop: “Constantly Growing,” acrylic on panel, 20 x 30 inches. Bottom left: “Emergence,” acrylic on panel, 18 x 24 inches. Bottom right: “Radiance,” acrylic on panel, 16 x 16 inches“Deeper Change,” acrylic on panel, 20 x 20 inches“Positive Light,” acrylic on panel, 8 x 8 inches“An Underlying Message,” acrylic on panel, 24 x 24 inches“Beyond the Surface,” acrylic on panel, 16 x 16 inches
    #acrylic
    #landscapes
    #nature
    #painting
    #silhouettesDo stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member and support independent arts publishing. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about contemporary art, help support our interview series, gain access to partner discounts, and much more. Join now! Share this story  More