Francie Hester

Intertwined #4, acrylic and wax on paper, teal and blue layered patterns

2014

Confluence continues the dialogue of the Daily Drawing Series, a visual diary that integrates day-to-day imagery to narrate a story about shifting time. In Confluence, the layering of fragmented and unfolding circles -- the underpinning for each piece -- defines a sense of deep and evolving space...

Confluence continues the dialogue of the Daily Drawing Series, a visual diary that integrates day-to-day imagery to narrate a story about shifting time. In Confluence, the layering o...

Acrylic, wax and aluminum leaf on paper. 15.5" x 15.5" framed. Shown at VOLTA New York 2020. Aluminum leaf shines in the light.

Confluence continues the dialogue of the Daily Drawing Series, a visual diary that integrates day-to-day imagery to narrate a story about shifting time. In Confluence, the layering o...

Confluence continues the dialogue of the Daily Drawing Series, a visual diary that integrates day-to-day imagery to narrate a story about shifting time. In Confluence, the layering of fragmented and unfolding circles -- the underpinning for each piece -- defines a sense of deep and evolving space...

The discipline of creating a drawing each day is a process, like a written diary, to clear the mind, to declutter thoughts, and to observe patterns. It is a method that allows the mind a freedom to wander and drift. A visual journal becomes a safe space for personal reflection–a self-awareness fueled by the opportunity for contemplation and immersion. The painted surface for the drawings was created by dividing five large paintings into 40 separate pieces. I chose five paintings from my Perspective Series (1993-94), which relied on day-to-day imagery that narrated a story about shifting time and how time anchors our day. The brush strokes of Perspectives are fluid, with muted colors – moving from deep blacks to taupe whites. Dividing these pieces was a means for me to rethink ideas and recurring images in my older work. The very thin gold leaf applied to each piece has a wonderful amber tone. This gold leaf is from Myanmar, where it is used as decoration for Buddha or for the dome of a temple or monastery. In the drawings, the gold element relates to the sense of infinity – like the sky in an enclosed courtyard. An architectural element is a critical component in my studio work that I wanted to carry over into these pieces. I envisioned a courtyard–a safe space that opens up to the sky. Unfolding circles define the beginnings of an open interior space. The process felt open-ended. It was an opportunity to get lost in thought and to give me an opportunity to reflect, muse and declutter my thinking. Then repeat. 40 days...

Elyse Katz (b.1951) is a self-taught American artist residing in Newport Beach, California. Her works are abstractions inspired by the visceral recollection of her personal experiences. As such, she calls her paintings “landscapes of my inner world.” Fittingly, physical landscapes and architectural rhythm also fuel her creativity: urban and rural vistas as viewed from the air, for example, textures and colors of old weathered surfaces and the pattern of cobblestone, to name a few. Katz begins each painting without expectation of outcome, with mark-making and play, layers of acrylic paint and oil pastels and found materials - vintage text...

Steven H. Rehfeld's "Scattered", a 49" x 36" mixed media on canvas is a contemporary abstraction that captures a fragmented yet harmonious narrative. The canvas is a rich tapestry of...

"Red Line" by Steven H. Rehfeld is a vibrant 48" x 36" mixed-media masterpiece that pulses with the raw energy and complexity of abstract expressionism. This artwork is a riot of tex...

The latest from Ray Kass' series of abstracted red "still lifes:" a departure from his large-scale compositions, this latest trio of paintings saturate their more compressed planes. ...

"Ardor" by Steven Rehfeld is a captivating 19" x 19" mixed media contemporary abstract that invites viewers into a vivid realm of exploration. Dominated by passionate reds and fiery ...

Untitled No 63, modern​ abstract composition 1987 Mixed media on wood panel, wax, oil, paper. Signed with initials, gallery label. Abstract painter Michael David is best known for his use of encaustic, a technique that incorporates heated beeswax and pigment. Considered an inheritor of Abstract Expressionism, David’s abstract work primarily centers on the use of a densely layered surface to facilitate a direct and immediate spiritual experience. He often incorporates religious iconography and symbolism, art historical themes such as the nude, and contemporary politics into his paintings resulting in a critical dialogue between the layered abstraction of the surface and the integrated representational imagery. Alongside his work on canvas, David has developed a body of studio photography that recreates paintings by Caravaggio, Manet, and Mantegna, among others, in works that confront racism, homophobia, and sexism. David also works in mixed media and environmental sculpture...