CHRISTIAN RIESE LASSEN-one of my favorite artists

        We traveled to Maui Hawaii in the late 80’s, during my non-creative years (working in corporate America you know).
        What an incredible place, where you can stand above sea clouds high atop Haleakala, watch a whale breach off the coast of Lahaina, (which is one of the best places for whale watching in the world), you can loose count of the waterfalls along the Hana highway (with it's 600 curves and 54 bridges) and of course the 80 Maui beaches that are simply fabulous.

        But did I mention the snorkeling, there is a small island off the coast of Maui called Molokini, try to imagine half of the top rim of an extinct volcano standing out of the water and the basin of the volcano submerged just below the surface, now imagine all the different species of beautiful fish swimming in that protected underwater marina.  Now try to imagine yourself snorkeling there, what a place.

        There is a good reason why they call it “The Magic Isle”.  I think it is closest you can get to heaven and still be on the earth.

        During our visit I experience the art work of Christian Riese Lassen, who has been recognized the world over for more than 20 years for his unique art and vision.  Regarded as the premier marine artist of our time, his majestic paintings inspire appreciation and awareness of mother earth.
        Raised on the island of Maui, the self taught artist and avid surfer found his original influence in nature and from the ocean and has translated this intimate knowledge into enchanting and popular works of art that has brought us closer to marine life than ever before. His web site is lassenart.com

        His expressions in color are some of the best I have ever experienced and his work overall has certainly inspired me.  
        My favorite painting of his is The Windsurfer, pictured below.  I couldn't afford a print at the time, so I bought at poster, which I had framed.  I really love this piece and it continues to inspire me to this day.

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ABSTRACT ART IN NATURE (A lesson in the basic fundamentals of art)

      God’s art in nature is all around us; He is the perfect artist by the way.  When I’m planning an abstract painting, I am really mimicking what exists in nature.  Stop and think about it, any painting you do or just look at, in order for it to be appealing, whether it is abstract or representational, must have several key elements.

 

     First it needs balance or structure, or you’ll have an unsettling feeling about it.  In nature, no matter where or what scene you observe, it is balanced.  Gravity sees to that, nothing seems to be falling down, if a tree gets knocked over and doesn't hit the ground, it is probably leaning against some other object, therefore you have structure.  If you look at a mountain it is always grounded and never top heavy.

         Second, texture and depth are an essential part of any painting, and once again nature is all about it, just look at a forest with all it's leaves blowing in the wind and the multiple layers of trees from one hill to the next.  Also an ocean from it's constant waves in motion and at times white caps giving the scene a real feel of anger, to still waters that give one a sense of serenity.  Nature takes texture to an all-new level, because it is always moving.

     Third, color is the best part of a painting and I feel it plays a huge part in abstract art.  Nature is the king of color and if you haven’t noticed all colors in nature match.   Whether it’s the deep blue sky against the snow-capped mountains, which are surrounded by a green pine forest.  Or of course a flowing field of wild flowers of every color, adjacent to a yellow and green meadow with a light blue brook running through it, every color complements each other.

We think we're so good at producing art, seeing something beautiful and painting it on canvas, but the reality is, we are just coping the original work of the Master Artist! 

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S.O.S. Warning Signals from The Past

         This is a typical retro painting from the early 70’s, although the colors are very soothing on the outside, and the lines are moving slowly, the canvas is sending out a distress signal that cannot be ignored. 

          The original painting is very large, actually matching the very large problems in the world at that period in history.  Save Our Society, that’s what was on my mind at that moment in time.    

    I guess we could be sending out S.O.S. signals in every era of world history, including today, but when I painted this piece, the Vietnam War, which had been dragging on for years, with no end in sight, was on my mind. 

         I lost several good friends in that war and many of those who returned were never quit the same again.  Also the oil embargo was an issue in the early 1970’s, not to mention runaway inflation, which caused much distress. 

        It is hard to imagine that gas, was less than a dollar per gallon back then, oh well life goes on.

       The interesting thing with blogging about artwork you did decades ago is that it brings back all the feelings and memories of that particular period in history that, as time goes by you tend to forget.  Unfortunately it also shows that we generally don’t learn from our mistakes, especially when it comes to war.

        But back to the art work, I love the cool blue colors and the moving effect the painting has.  It plays with your senses and I especially enjoy taking a plain canvas and bringing it to life.  That coupled with giving the piece a subliminal message is what makes abstract art fun.

S.O.S. 1973, acrylic on canvas  

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India Sun

         I once had a very good friend who grew up in India.   I knew him for many years and we even contemplated going into business together.  He owned a company that cut ceramic tile and metal using high pressure water and wanted me to do the design work, but we never quit got around to it. 

        He would reminisce about his childhood and always commented on the rich culture he experienced, the wonder people he left behind and the heat of his beloved country India, yes always the heat.  It must have been very warm where he lived because it certainly left a lasting impression on him.

       

      

        With his description of his homeland and the vivid memory of how hot the summers were, I painted this piece with the tapestries of vibrant reds, oranges and yellows of the Indian sun high in the sky. He’s gone now and this painting reminds me of him, and our friendship.

        One of the great things about art, whether you paint it your self, or if you purchase it, especially abstract art,  is that you can do a whole painting around a thought or a single memory and every time you look at that painting, it will remind you of that moment.  It becomes your private thought and no one else knows what the piece really means, unless you let them know.  Every piece of art I have ever done or will do in the future has that element to it.

        The colors in this painting are warm and alive and at the same time very comforting.  They beckon you and draw you in and I'm sure that if my friend was still around,  it would surely remind him of the land that he loved.

India Sun, acrylic on canvas.

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Hirshhorn Museum-Washington D.C.

         We visited Washington D.C. last week and who could pass up an opportunity to visit the Hirshhorn Museum..  Whether you call it Abstract art, Contemporary art or even Modern art, you'll find it at the Hirshhorn.  Three floors of inspiration inside and a fabulous sculpture gardens outside.

          The Hirshhorn is part of the Smithsonian, located on the National Mall next to the Air and Space museum.  It opened in 1974 as a result of the generosity of American Entrepreneur Joseph H Hirshhorn., who donated his collection to the Smithsonian Institution in 1966.

        To use the museums own description: The Hirshhorn presents a dynamic and forward-looking array of art exhibitions, special projects and public programs that invite visitors to get closer to the art and artists of our time and experience the trans formative potential of contemporary art.  The collection of nearly 12,000 works of art includes pieces by leading artist from the late 19th century to the present day.

        The building is an elevated drum-shaped structure designed by architect Gordon Bunshaft, and has 60,000 square feet of exhibition space inside and nearly 4 acres outside in its bi-level Sculpture garden and plaza.. The building alone is a work of Modern art.

        Inside on the third level are the works from the Hirshhorn's collection by artists including Alexander Calder, Ellsworth Kelly, Francis Bacon, and many others.  
        The second level is currently showing "over, under, next: Experiments in Mixed Media, 1913 to Present".  
        The lower level has, Black Box: Democracia, Jaime Davidovich's Blue, Red, Yellow.  Out of the Ordinary featuring works by Cristo, Fritsch and Gober. Also Barbara Kruger's Belief + Doubt.















  



   









       In the Garden are sculptures by Henry Moore, Auguste Rodin, Joan Miro and others.  What a peaceful and serene place in the midst of Washington politics and tourism.  You must experience it for yourself, and don't forget to bring a pad and pencil

        What an exiting visit we had, if you enjoy contemporary abstract art, and if your ever in Washington D.C. don't miss an opportunity to experience the Hirshhorn.  It will inspire you.

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The Unabstract 1980's

Abstract art for me in the 80’s was almost non-existent.  I worked in corporate America at that time and the stress level was unbelievable, I couldn't think out of the box so to speak.    

        I was unable to come home at night and see things differently from everyone else, which is necessary to be an abstract artist.  I had to conform to the way the world viewed life in order to survive.  It was impossible to be creative, and as a result I painted nothing except two pieces, one piece I did in 1987 called Blazing Seas; which is a reminder of the blazing hot July sunrises I experienced during the years we had a vacation condo in Hilton Head, SC. 
         If you looked out at the glimmering ocean at a certain moment in the morning, it almost looked as if it was on fire.  It was a great place to relax and be creative, however generally as soon as I got back into corporate America, the stress took over and my ideas were gone, except for the memory of that beautiful morning scene, so I forced my self to paint it while the world was closing in again.  Life is good, memories are great! 

Blazing Seas, 1987, acrylic on canvas, print available soon at Adjectiveart.com

An interesting thing did occur during that same time however, I was home one Saturday morning and was painting the inside of my garage, I was working on the ceiling at the time and my daughter Erica who was about 8 or 9 at the time was vying for my attention.  The drop cloth I was using was a large light brown heavy paper, which covered the floor.  I was on a ladder and I gave her a brush and several other colors of house paint and instructed her to paint the drop cloth any way she wanted.  
        Well she was thrilled to be able to paint without restrictions, and allowed to be creative without worrying about making a mess.  After about 5 minutes or so, I looked down to see what she was creating and low and behold what appeared to be a face surfaced in the midst of the chaos.  It was her first painting, and she understood the concept of abstract art. Today by the way she’s a wonderful painter and an even better contemporary photographer. 

        Erica's first painting, untitled as of now, but prints will be available for sale in the near future.

       Years later when she was older and moved into her first apartment I framed the remaining remnants of that drop cloth and gave it to her as a house warming gift and signed it Zmakey.  She took the painting and added more color to match her living room and signed it Zmaka.  That painting is entitled Frosty Blizzard and will be on the Adjectiveart.com web site in the very near future.

        I did one other painting in 1988 during the height of my corporate stress in which I titled Stress Blues, I have misplaced that piece, but if I ever find it I will Blog about it in the future

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NON-OBJECTIVE ART

     The year was 1970; we were obviously no longer in the turbulent 60’s, however much of that turmoil continued to engulf America.  Crazy war in Vietnam still raging on, with no signs of letting up, politicians who cared more about their re-election chances than their constituents.  When I began to paint this abstract piece, I was still in my angry with senseless war phase; I think I’m still in that phase by the way.

This is the perfect example of non-objective art (as an observer something that you visualize in the painting that no one else can see, not even the artist who painted it).  I love that kind of stuff.  Originally it began as a painting of North America with the U.S. missing, as a protest I guess, but I got over that and started to add a lot of abstract symbolism into it instead, which I like a whole lot better.  I do love the U.S very much in case you were wondering, and feel blessed to live here.

But back to non-objective art and symbolism, as an artist, I enjoy it when someone tries to interpret one of my paintings with what they imagine they are seeing.  I think that art is in the eye of the beholder and if someone feels moved by what they perceive to exist, so be it.

This painting is filled with symbolism, many shapes, and strong structure and if you look deep enough, many cool things begin to emerge.  Color is a large part of this piece as well, in keeping with the influence of Czech painter Frantisek Kupka, who used color to suggest powerful movement; I brought some extreme color combinations into play, with dramatic results.

Periwinkle Pleasure,  acrylic on canvas, prints available at Adjectiveart.com

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