Robert Hightower

'Sahdguru' - Contemporary Geometric Abstraction Pixelation - Bosch

2019

This painting features hues of yellow, purple and orange. Chattanooga-based artist Christina Renfer Vogel’s “Turning Towards the Sun” features paintings that reflect an intentional turn towards beauty in the face of the tension & uncertainty of recent years. Through nourishing periods of focused observation, she has allowed herself to delight in jubilant color, playful pattern & sensual gesture. Her works delight in the delicate unfurling of a tender leaf & the gentle turn towards an open window, as flowers seek warmth & stretch towards sunlight in the space of a painting session. “Bringing plants...

'LOL' is an abstract pointillist painting featuring hues of yellow, orange, pink, and white. Robert Hightower is inspired by the work of Giotto, Hieronymus Bosch, Jean-François Millet, Roger Brown, Howard Arkley and Julian Opie. This piece is a part of a special immersive gallery installation, “The Apocalypse Simulacra,” which is a narrative presentation of the twilight of humanity, at the fulcrum of extinction by Atlanta-based artist Robert Hightower. Through stage-set constructions, readymade plastic models and paintings, Hightower investigates the duality of right/wrong, good/bad, eternal/ephemeral in light of the imminent end of the Human Epoch. It depicts the ideological origins of corporate greed and power, the reality of wealth distribution in the “American Dream,” and the socio-economic and environmental impacts of that collective greed. After receiving a BFA in sculpture from the University of Georgia, Hightower moved to New York City and participated in The Bronx Museum of the Art’s AIM Fellowship (Artist In the Marketplace). While in New York, his interests expanded to include art installation and the creation of spaces, and has since designed and built many unique homes, penthouses and restaurants throughout the United States. Hightower has returned home to Atlanta and will be presenting his most comprehensive body of work to date, “The Apocalypse Simulacra,” a unique universe of beauty, dichotomy and uncertainty. ARTIST STATEMENT The 'Apocalypse Simulacra' is a presentation of the twilight of humanity, at the fulcrum of extinction. The climate is the subject. The Simulacra is the Theme. First discussed by Plato, the Simulacra is the search for Truth in Duality. Developing into Post-Modernism with Nietzsche’s: truth=Truth. Now with Bauvillard, the Simulacra has evolved beyond Post-Modernism, into the wholesale confusion of the real/fake, the true/false… between reality and hyper-reality. This crumbling, confusing of the truth (not necessarily the Truth) is our Reality. For over two decades, I have created large format paintings of strip malls, suburban houses and toys. These paintings present singular images flattened-out (almost floating) on color-fields. They create a certain duality - a loving portrait of an inanimate object that would not normally be singled-out for affection. With my latest work, I have added a variety of iconic images: an airplane, a whisky bottle, a woman floating in a pool. The icons are presented in a pixelated or degenerated state. In addition to paintings, I have used adult-size building blocks to create sculptures or three-dimensional paintings. Using a child's toy at an adult-scale gives the building blocks an austere and powerful presence. The building blocks echo the blocks of the pixelated paintings...

Original abstract oil painting on canvas, textural layers with hidden history, white space, journey in marks. Inspired by balance. Kelly Washbourne, contemporary painter, available online and in our gallery at Wychwood Art. Kelly Washbourne’s work is of immeasurable depth, texture and colour. Every canvas represents its own journey as paint is layered and balanced to create exquisite colour relationships, provoking both thought and emotion. Taking months to complete, each piece becomes an evolving record of the painting process offering glimpses into the hidden history of its creation. She is known for the bold expression of her large pieces which are full of texture, energy and vibrancy. Her small canvases, which have become popular exhibited in grids, offer an endless variety of shades and brush strokes and create a unique artwork with every composition. Graduating from Falmouth University in 2002 with a BA Hons in Fine Art, Kelly finds her inspiration in the freedom, bravery and liberty of The New York School artists. Expressionists of the 1940s and 50s such as Franz Kline, Willem de Kooning and Helen Frankenthaler incite confidence in her use of paint. She also draws reference from the beautifully energised artistry of Gillian Ayres and Peter Lanyon. Contemporary artists such as Cecily Brown and Rose...

This piece is part of an exciting new collection depicting iconic "Coco Chanel" with the artists "Dripping Dots" style. Focused on a pointillistic technique, the paint is able to cap...