Two

"Two"  2011

acrylic and pencil on canvas, 36 x 24"

$175.00

This is the first abstract created for the recent Dueling Minds show at Concrete Ocean when I began work last summer. I was calling it Two Sisters while working on it, as I had no real name for it, and I'd already made a drawing called Two Sisters- a "working title" if you will. Experience in comletely abstract, non-objective art was limited for me. Not knowing where to begin, i put two big circles on the canvas, bisected them, and i was off and running from there. As friends began commenting on it in the studio, all sorts of interpretations were given, ranging from "two orbs" to "two planets", and inevitably "two breasts". I began to realize they would tell me what it was, as the viewer often will. It was percieved almost universally as two items or objects, so I left it open to interpretation as "Two". I've been known to couple subjects in my work many times in the past, though never this purely. It's very simple. I've been a fan of Jasper Johns' painterly handling conventional symbols since college. Johns' flags, maps, targets, and numbers may rely on this schemata to answer the need for subject, but seem to be a vehicle for pure joy of brushstrokes.

At the beginning of discussions between Dale and I for the Dueling Minds show, duality was the topic: duality in personality, tastes, perception/percieved value, society, artistic vision, style, and method, and on and on... it was a very open ended conversation, peppered with our normal day-to-day experiences, frustrations, societal  issues and politics, and shared mirth. While it's ended up in the room adjoining our concept portion of the show, I feel it really fits with the theme of the whole thing really well. The two spheres/circles are seemingly identical, but they are not, their difference in their brushstrokes wildly varying. Like two people, they may both have two legs and arms and a head, but entirely singular beings. As such, this is painting is best enjoyed up close and personal. 

Come see the show at our closing reception at Concrete Ocean, March 30th from 7:00-11:00 PM

See more of my available works at my WORKS AVAILABLE page at Shawart.com :)

email me if you are interested!