The Art League of Hilton Head will be presenting “The Art of Abstraction”, a special presentation of large abstract paintings by ten of the League’s leading abstract artists.
There will be an opening reception on Tuesday, June 10 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at the Gallery in Pineland Station. The public is invited.
“The Art of Abstraction” provides a unique opportunity to experience abstract art at its best. Each titled piece will be accompanied by an artist’s statement that will direct the viewer into the mystery of the painting. Abstract art is to be enjoyed for its color, composition and emotion. All of the artists will be at the reception and there will be an opportunity to hear directly from the artists what they had in mind while creating the painting. Pablo Picasso once asked the question, “Why do you try to understand art? Do you try to understand the song of a bird?” But, if you want to increase your understanding of abstract art, this exhibition provides the opportunity for you to do so.
The ten artists in the show are: Cindy Chiappetta, Art Cornell, Marilyn Dizikes, Jo Dye, Anne Hakala, Ted Jordan, Vickie Jourdan, Lynn Parrott, Arla Crumlick Wible, and Irene K. Williamson.
Art Cornell, one of the artists says that “Art is truly a part of my being and soul.” His contribution to the show titled, “Art’s Art.” is “a five-year project that has captured all the excess, frustration and emotion of my various paintings during that period. It is a compilation of random colors and specific design applied on a canvas drop cloth used in my studio.”
Ted Jordan, who is known locally for his Lowcountry paintings and post-Katrina drawings, says that “Abstractionism is my true love and reveals my true colors… pun intended.”
A lot of thought and planning goes into the creation of an abstract piece of art. Artist Arla Crumlick Wible says, “I often work with the feeling of height. Leaving much open canvas suggests infinity, while the active top shows there is something magical happening far above that drips into the awareness of the openness…a reminder of its existence.”
Sometimes it’s an accident that leads to an exciting abstract painting. An accidental splash of color on a fresh canvas inspired Irene K. Williamson’s work entitled, “The Do-It-Yourself Housepainter.” Since some abstracts are more realistic than others, this painting provides numerous clues to its intent. Irene is the 2007 Best of Show winner in the Society of Bluffton Artists’ annual judged show.
Vickie Jourdan who teaches a course in abstract acrylic painting at the Art Academy is known as a colorist. Her dynamic use of color defines her paintings and style. Says Vickie: ““The challenge of creating something from nothing best describes my intention of painting the abstract way. My paintings evoke energy, emotion and spirit within me and allow the observer to devote their unconscious feelings and emotions to dance within themselves.”
Jo Dye’s art is the expression of change, growth and appreciation of life in all of its colorful forms. She is the winner of the Best of Show award in this year’s Society of Bluffton Artists’ judged exhibit.
Anne Hakala took first prize for Mixed Media in the Art League’s National Juried Show at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina in May. For Anne, “Each painting is a new adventure using different choices of media and technique. Sometimes there are many layers of paint with rubbing or scraping down to the colors below.”
Lynn Parrott loves the beauty of South Carolina’s Lowcountry and the wild abandon of the North Carolina mountains. That love she translates into the dynamic, multi-layered and richly colored paintings that define her spirit and soul. Working in oil pastels, oil bars or oil paints, she creates her own unique views of the area. As color flows from Lynn’s broad brushes onto the canvas, the subjects take on a cloak of abstraction and come alive with a unique perspective.
Cindy Chiappetta draws her inspiration from a gift: “A small book of maps, both real and imagined, inspired my current body of work. Some were ancient maps and others were artist’s contemporary expressions of mappings.” See if you can identify the location in her abstract works.
Art is a form of communication and expression. Marilyn Dizikes describes it as: ”I am a citizen of the world. There are many languages, but the language I speak is universal. It is a language of love, peace and harmony. My language is Art.”
The 10 artists have mounted a show bursting with color, unique design and a lot of fun. World-renowned abstract artist Wassily Kandinsky once said that “Of all the arts, abstract painting is the most difficult. It demands that you know how to draw well, that you have a heightened sensitivity for composition and colors, and that you be a true poet.”
So come and enjoy the poetry of abstract art at the Art League Gallery in Pineland Station from June 10- July 12. The gallery is open Monday-Saturday from 10:00-6:00. For more information call 843-681-5060 or check the website, www.artleaguehhi.org
The Art League of Hilton Head is a not-for-profit membership organization that promotes and supports the visual arts through education, exhibitions and partnerships for the cultural enrichment of the community and its visitors.
