ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM
Interprétation les Fauve?
There are 3 sub-sections to this portfolio:
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Portraits
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Scenic, or Landscape
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Animals
“When I get my hands on painting materials, I don’t give a damn about other people’s painting…Every generation must start afresh” Maurice de Vlaminck
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It was not I that originally associated my work with the early 20th century work of the likes of de Vlaminck, Matisse, Moreau and Derain. Nor was it an art academic or art critic who noticed. At the time I was simply enthralled with where my creative mind was taking me. A passionate fellow artist and special friend made the initial comparison. On his advice I went and studied the Fauvists.
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Now, as de Vlaminck says, I am have not, nor will not, attempt to copy any of these great artists; it's simply not in my character nor inherent the fierce sense of independence I find myself in every time I have brush in hand. However, it is some comfort to my artists soul that I have, for the first time, a sense of belonging to an artistic movement, an artistic family when I create in this style.
As you will see, my artwork in this portfolio is not comparable to any of the les fauves (‘the wild beasts’), but if the beliefs they held (paraphrased from the Tate Gallery website), apply to my art too, then I am a 21st century kindred spirit. I believe they do. You be the judge.
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Characterized by strong colours and fierce brushwork.
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Bold, often brilliant, non-naturalistic colours (often applied directly from the tube).
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Complementary colours - pairs of colours which appear opposite each other on scientific models such as the colour wheel, when used side-by-side in a painting, make each other look brighter.
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"Painterly mark-making". Spontaneous brush work and wild loose dabs of paint.
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Rejection of traditional three-dimensional space and instead using flat areas or patches of colour to create a new pictorial space.
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The forms of the subjects were also simplified making their work appear quite abstract.
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I believe I am kin to these wild beasts in spirit, when I paint like this, but truthfully I am not of them.
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"I seem initially to have followed Fauvism, and then to have followed in Cézanne's footsteps. Whatever. I do not mind...as long as first of all I remained Vlaminck."
Maurice de Vlaminck
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