Dyer’s Coreopsis in backyard
Hi Friends,
After seeing the tablerunners in my last newsletter, my friend Sylvia Greer suggested that I need more contrast in my work, something I have heard from others before. It got me thinking about why I like more minimalist, low-contrast art.
There is precedence for this type of work, and I’ve been inspired by many artists. Three that come to mind are James Perkins, Agnes Martin and Park Seo-Bo.
James Perkins, “Sky,” silk, sun, sand, wood, water, aluminum, 104 x 33 inches
Agnes Martin, “Starlight,” watercolor and ink on paper, 11-3/4 x 10-1/2 inches
Park Seo-Bo, “Ecriture No. 37-73,” pencil and oil on canvas, 39-3/8 x 32 inches
Minimalist work appeals to me because it’s quiet, meditative and contemplative. It’s intriguing. You have to get close to the paintings to see the detail.
These are paintings for people, like me, who are sensitive. They soothe an overstimulated nervous system. They’re calm and serene.
While thinking about this, I was inspired to create three new pieces to complement my minimalist collection.
Click on the images below for more details and to see the paintings in a browser.
“Be Still My Beating Heart,” 24 x 36 inches, repurposed acrylic latex paint on canvas
“Autumnal Breeze,” 18 x 18 inches, repurposed acrylic latex paint on canvas
“Portal,” 30 x 15 inches, repurposed acrylic latex paint on canvas
I have two more of these in progress. It takes a while to get them looking right. It’s many layers of paint with a lot of sanding between layers.
You can see all of my minimalist paintings by clicking here.
Many thanks to Sylvia for her comment and for reigniting my passion for minimalism!
What inspires your work? I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts. You can share them with us in the comments section below.
With love and appreciation,
Cassandra
I too love minimalism in art. There was a giant oil painting that used to reside in a Museum in Balboa Park here in San Diego. It was hypnotic, I forget the name of it now, but it was Blue, Deep Blue. I was sad when it moved on. I love your work.
Thank you, Marguerite. I’d like to see that deep blue painting! Deep cobalt blue is beautiful. Lita Albuquerque uses a lot of it in her work, although most of her pieces are high contrast. https://www.theartistprofilearchive.com/artist-profiles/lita-albuquerque