FINAL PROJECT, Part 1
oil on canvas
FINAL PROJECT, Part 2
oil on canvas
Jeffrey Bryant
Figure Painting Artist Statement
The word artist and art have become very vague and hard to define. We
tend to make art this thing that is so lost in the idea of what art is supposed to be
that we forget what art is really all about.
I am a strong believer that art is something we all do naturally and is
happening all around us while we are blindly participating in art movements and
shows all day. When I make art I usually want to make it because it makes me feel
good and takes me a place where I am the controller, and I make the decisions that
are going to be portrayed to my viewer.
Typically I tend to strive for narrative in my pieces and I feel like most art
has for centuries told a story. Artists of the past have done art for the very reasons
we still do today. We use art to explore “modern” ideas and express our feelings
and voice on the subject. The voice is something that I believe all artists including
myself are searching for, even though it has more than likely been there all along.
It creates a journey and for me that is one of the best parts about making art.
In my final project I divided the figurative models into two separate pieces,
which are meant to stand-alone. In one painting I used a style that I feel is very
comfortable for me and I played with many ideas of dualism and symbol and
meaning of balance between those. From water and fire, the moon and the sun, and
the man and the woman. All are opposite but vital for one another creating balance
and harmony.
The second piece, which I chose to take a step away from how I would typically approach a figure painting, was focused on energy. I wanted to try to
purely capture energy on canvas with the idea of the figure. The paint was applied
in a manner where I could feel the color and move the thick oil paint on the canvas.
I layered over my first figurative painting I wanted to renovate my style and bring in something fresh. Color for this painting wads important and I wanted to
use colors that expressed the flesh the way I felt the energy and less of the
relying of the eye.
My favorite is the top image, but already know that becuase I told you about a thousands times I'm sure! The contrasting colors look so good next to one another and the sun and starry night detail is great. I really like the carefree style of your second painting, it's so different than the first one.
ReplyDeleteIn your first painting, I really love the contrast of the reds/oranges and the blues/greens with your color palette. The sun and night is such a creative idea that I wish I would've thought of it myself. Your use of values and detail is really nicely done. Only thing I wish I'd see is for the male figure to have hair, by maybe making it crazy looking as the sun rays are. In your second painting, I really love the fact that you chose to experiment with working with texture and the palette and strokes. The style between both paintings are so different to look at and have their own character. At the same time the color choice of the second painting almost ties in to the first one as you still are using about the same reds/oranges and blues/greens.
ReplyDeleteI like the ideas that motivated both of these paintings. I think what bothers me in the first one is that it is too divided. Your concept says that you want opposites that vital to each other, but I feel like the two halves barely interact except for the guys arm coming across. Having some more interaction would really tie them together and make me believe that they belong together.
ReplyDeleteIn your second painting I think you really challenged your personal style, and that allowed your choices to be more raw/exposed. I think that this was a good exercise for you. The thing that bothers me is that it looks like the same texture all over.
Balance is the first word that comes to mind within sight of your red and blue painting. There is not much i can say for this painting except that the balance is what creates the brilliance. I like that there is no border. Your second painting has constant hand strokes with this radiation of patience. I think if it was more apparent what her arm was resting on that this piece would become much stronger.
ReplyDeleteI love the concept in your second painting and I love the harmony in your first painting. I think that the second painting came more as a challenge for you, which it should have. I think it was courageous to rely on energy for guidance in the second painting. Sometimes our energy allows for calmness and clarity, but as soon as that's disrupted you could end up with a shapeless figure or worse a paintbrush through your canvas. I love that you relied purely on energy for the second piece. I think because of that it's my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you approached these two paintings. I really like your style and you can tell that the first painting is definitely yours, it has your touch. The idea of balance is well executed and reminds me of a ying yang symbol. I also like that you pushed yourself and wanted to play around with a different style that focuses on energy, I've never thought about painting that way. While I enjoy the second painting, it feels flat for some reason, maybe like James said it is because it feels like the same texture overall. I hope you experiment some more with style because this turned out really good.
ReplyDeleteI think these pieces are a great example of art as a practice. Your first piece clearly embodies your personal style, your smooth paint applications, bold color, complimentary palette, and striking graphic imagery relate it to much of your other work. Your second piece id a great display of artistic growth. You pushed yourself to apply paint and make marks in ways that i have not seen you do this semester; to explore where painting can take you. Though the marks themselves are unique in your body of work, the color palette of the second piece is the same as the first, and is the same as many of your other paintings. You are able to accomplish artistic progression without losing cohesiveness, which is not at all easy to do. You are an incredible artist and i am excited to see what you will paint in the future
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely a fan of your work. Your color sensibility is fantastic and you paint so well! I like that you took a different approach to painting in the second piece. It's a very different style from yours and yet it still has your great color combinations. The first painting is so cool! I love the extreme differences between the two.
ReplyDeleteI am really impressed that you chose to make two pieces that were both so stylistically different! I think that I like the top image the best just because it reminds me so much of your other work, and the complementary themes work amazingly together. The proportioning of the images are great! Your mark making again is really great within the second piece! I am excited to see what you come up with in our next class together.
ReplyDeleteYour color choice on the top painting reminds me of your piece that you did on the pane of glass over-laying another painting. The complementary colors were effectively used to create this piece and your overall color choice remained balanced in your bottom painting, even with you stepping out of your box.
ReplyDeleteboth exemplified unique style choices and the ability to switch train of thought. color choices were also very pleasing along with the detail you only saw in person and up close. really good rendered smooth figures and my personal favorite with the pallet knife use in the second. good stuff
ReplyDeletei love that you deviated away from your usual style just to experiment. it can be a challenge to do that but it looks great and very expressive. the first figure study has a great palette choice
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