Watermedia Works: Parasites

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Parasites

My daughter Sarah and I posing in front of the painting "Parasites" which won Best of Show at the Arizona Watercolor Association Spring Exhibition 2009. It also won Best of Show at The Contemporary Watercolorists of Arizona 37th Annual Exhibition in October of 2008. This painting is transparent watercolor and watercolor crayon on 140# Arches Cold Press. The juror for the AWA exhibit was Betsy Dillard Stroud DF, AWS, NWS. These are her notes on "Parasites":

- strength in rhythm -

- content strong.. -

- content is implicit & inherent in technique -

- unpredictablility of organization is a real plus -

- excitement comes from movement! -

- different -

- suggestive so allows a visual dialogue -

8 comments:

UnknownFriday, January 29, 2010 at 3:38:00 PM MST
Your work is fabulous! Congratulations on the award and Betsy's evaluation. You look very proud of your beautiful daughter.
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Dan KentFriday, January 29, 2010 at 8:24:00 PM MST
I have truly enjoyed scrolling down your blog. Your work is beautiful - it is no surprise you won.
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Stan KurthFriday, January 29, 2010 at 10:06:00 PM MST
Thanks for the nice comments Kathy and Dan. Yes Kathy I'm the proud father of five daughters and one son. It's a busy life.
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layersSaturday, January 30, 2010 at 4:07:00 PM MST
am glad you stopped by my blog--- I juried the Arizona w/c assoc. show a few years ago-- good show and congrats. my husband's family lives in Tucson and I will be traveling down there this coming week for the Gem and rock show-- though I am mostly interested in the rocks and fossils.
congrats for a good painting
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Stan KurthSunday, January 31, 2010 at 4:06:00 PM MST
Thanks Donna! I've admired your work for some time. What a joy to find your blog. Thanks for the nice comments.
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-DonSunday, February 7, 2010 at 1:20:00 AM MST
Stan, I just found your blog thru your comments on Kathy's blog. Congratulations on your successes with this wonderful painting. I will now be checking out more of your work while becoming a Stan Kurth follower... -Don
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Stan KurthSunday, February 7, 2010 at 12:20:00 PM MST
Thanks Don. I've been following your comments on Kathy's blog as well. Do you have a blog and/or website?
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-DonSunday, February 7, 2010 at 1:02:00 PM MST
Hi Stan...
My website is http://www.donmichaeljr.com
My blog is http://www.donmichaeljr.com/blog
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Statement

One definition of intuitive includes words like feeling and instinct. These terms are mildly interpretive, and who can argue with artists who “feel” their way through paintings. My definition of intuitive painting is beginning the work without any preliminary thoughts or plans for a particular object or subject as an end, but rather starting on a blank substrate, making marks with a variety of tools, creating a library of design elements and applying design principles until a personal aesthetic is achieved. I do not use any external reference.

Marks are mostly random early on, but sometimes lines or shapes of thoughts occur during the process. Many of these are repetitive, my archetypes. It is not uncommon to find vague human anatomy, non-specific animals, interiors, buildings, furniture, vessels, surreal botanicals, automobiles/parts and a multitude of objects I have found interesting over the span of a lifetime. Some of these shapes may look familiar but are ambiguous enough to allow the viewer a personal narrative. This may be intentional or not on my part. I prefer mystery and intrigue over the obvious.

As paintings progress, more elements including color are introduced. These are random at first but as the process continues a shift towards design takes place. A dominant color temperature may emerge, or a glaze might unify colors beneath it. Values can shift to dominant light, mid or dark. Elements are enhanced, obscured or covered up. There may be multiple layers and quite often evidence of the beginning will peek through. I use a variety of tools to apply pigment or remove it in varying degrees. These tools include brushes, palette knives, scrapers, sticks, sandpaper, my hands, my fingernails and more. Gradually principles such as rhythm, harmony, unity, pattern, gradient, conflict, dominance, contrast, balance, repetition, alternation and movement coalesce into a composition I find esthetically pleasing.

It is one thing to make a pretty picture with good composition, but quite another to bring the viewer into a painting by such means and hold their attention with content. My objective is to evoke a pleasing visceral response from the viewer.

"There's a complex simplicity in Stan Kurth's paintings that is both paradoxical and straightforward. As he works with multiple layers of watercolor and gesso, his provocative images emerge. Ambiguity and form coalesce into a singular, cohesive vision that holds the viewer spellbound"

Betsy Dillard Stroud - Watercolor Masters and Legends: Secrets, Stories and Techniques from 34 Visionary Artists

About

"Artist and workshop instructor Stan Kurth has drawn and painted most of his life. An aunt, who was an artist and art instructor, became a big influence even before he began school. Stan lives with the conviction of “fear not” and that same attitude permeates not just his life but his art. His focus and dedication to his work have earned him signature member status in several watercolor societies including the National Watercolor Society, San Diego Watercolor Society and the Western Federation of Watercolor Societies - Master. He currently lives in Arizona."