Abstract Expressionist More Art

Artist Comments
Artist James Hartman displays an enchanting view of Mt. Diablo in the Bay Area. A path opens between a grove of trees leading into the tall mountains. James represents the different natural elements of the composition in a vibrant color palette. Painted en plein air, James says of the medium, "I like using oils for their buttery consistency."

About the Artist
When James Hartman was in art school, he became fascinated with the Society of Six...

Artist Comments
Artist James Hartman draws inspiration from the experience of seeing sunlit colors and details appearing through the strong vertical tree pattern. He expresses the painting sections to appear like stained glass. James highlights small areas where collaged 100-year-old paper show through the surface, he does this in a non-disruptive way. James applies heat to fuse the oils into a mixture of beeswax and damar crystals to seal the work.

About the Artist
When James Hartman was in art school, he became fascinated with the Society of Six, a group of artists who painted en plein air (outdoors) and exhibited together in the San Francisco Bay Area during the early 20th Century. James's paintings of the Northern California landscape pay tribute to some of the great Bay Area artists of the past. His expressive scenes feel alive through his vibrant use of color and his painterly brushwork. James’s paintings have an immediate visual impact from a distance, yet up close, dissolve into a series of confident marks and strokes. There is a simultaneous complexity and steadiness in his flattened, color-blocked planes. Knowledge and observation are essential elements of James’s working practice. To this end, he spends a large proportion of his time painting on location. His body of work captures the fresh and sunlit essence of the coastal California hills.

Words that describe this painting: expressionism, encaustic, beeswax, collage, antique ephemera...

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Artist James Hartman paints an expressionist still life of vibrant blooming tulips arranged in a teal and purple vase. James shows his love for street art influ...

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A vibrant encaustic on wood painted with oil over a collage of antique ephemera. Artist James Hartman portrays a colorful still ...

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A warm and vibrant display of orange and yellow flowers in vases, with fruits, cutlery, and wine by artist James Hartman. A painting hangs against the red wall while a view of another room peeks from the left. Part of James' series of interiors using collage, beeswax, and oil paints. "My process is by experiment since the ancient art of encaustics was once lost," shares James. He fuses the pigment into beeswax giving them permanence, preserving the vibrant colors. "I like to begin the process by collaging antique...

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A burst of vibrant colors falls on the slopes and trees of this expressionistic landscape. Artist James Hartman layers beeswax over a collage of 100-year-old vintage paper...

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Fiery trees tower over a path that opens up to a sparkling hidden beach. Artist James Hartman rendered this piece by first creating his own cradled panel. He ...

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"I've chosen one of my favorite painting vantage points on the Bay Area mountain Mt. Diablo," shares artist James Hartman. "The cows are just about to enter t...

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An expressionist rendering of a mountain road. James painted the scene using color as a way to move through the picture. In the foreground, abstracted figures...

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In this colorful landscape, James Hartman explores color placement and contrasts. The painting was worked on over a period of time, giving glimpses of differe...