Watermedia Works: Some New Work

Monday, August 16, 2010

Some New Work

Recent Watercolor Sketches

The Stroll

Lipstick

Recent Drawings

Landfill Apparition

Landfill Elastic

Landfill Fodder

Landfill Lollipop

Landfill Orchestral

Landfill Seed

Landfill Harvest

17 comments:

-DonTuesday, August 17, 2010 at 1:09:00 AM MDT
Wow, Stan! These are all really nice. You have obviously been quite busy. It's almost too much to take in all at once, so I'll be back to absorb some more wonderfulness soon. Happy Creating!

-Don
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Rosalie WronaTuesday, August 17, 2010 at 3:30:00 AM MDT
Wow! I really like these .. especially the black and white ones .. are they charcoal? Lots to look at in those :)
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Tonya VollertsenTuesday, August 17, 2010 at 4:49:00 AM MDT
Wonderful Stan! Very inspiring! Heading to the studio now...
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Maggie RuleyTuesday, August 17, 2010 at 6:17:00 AM MDT
That's a great series, my favorite is "apparition", the composition rocks.
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Casey KlahnTuesday, August 17, 2010 at 8:48:00 AM MDT
The first image brought me right in from my feeder (Follow at blogger). Then I hit your new banner and B A M !! This blog looks awesome, Stan.

Your art is very rich, and I enjoy exploring your ideas through your works.
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AnonymousTuesday, August 17, 2010 at 12:56:00 PM MDT
Stan, These latest works are all so stunningly beautiful, complex, detailed, well composed. As always, your work just blows me away.
Your creative depth is inspiring.
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Stan KurthTuesday, August 17, 2010 at 9:39:00 PM MDT
Don - Yes I've been busy and I wish it was all related to art making, but unfortunately I've taken on a retail job that is consuming me. All that being said, I still have the drive. Thanks!

Rosalie - Thanks! The drawings are done with various sized rollerball ink pens and I lick my fingers and smear for tonal effects, something I started doing in life drawing in college and the instructor, a traditionalist, hated it. I love to smear.

Tonya - I'm glad you're inspired! Now go get to work in your towering studio! If you only knew the view from my studio.

Maggie - Thank you, I so admire your art and life in the Keyes.

Casey - Your comments mean a lot to me and your work is a constant source of inspiration.

Pam - Thank you for the great comments and I'm flattered that you find my work inspiring. I find your love of life and art inspiring.
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AnonymousTuesday, August 17, 2010 at 11:07:00 PM MDT
I'm intrigued by the movement, power and feeling you are able to reveal in your watercolors. It seems to me that it's hard work orchestrating wonderful works like these. The results are unique and magical, Stan!
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Stan KurthWednesday, August 18, 2010 at 5:40:00 PM MDT
Peggy - Thanks! The drawings are almost always done in the morning and the paintings are done at all times, but mostly during late afternoon-evening. I don't know what that has to do with anything. I don't know about it being hard work because I love to do it so much it takes the pain out. Sort of.
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UnknownThursday, August 19, 2010 at 1:05:00 AM MDT
Hi Stan !
I love these mysterious drawings !
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UnknownThursday, September 16, 2010 at 7:58:00 AM MDT
As always, I'm blown-away by your work and strong compositions. Fabulous!
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Stan KurthThursday, September 16, 2010 at 5:26:00 PM MDT
Liv - Thanks, I love a good mystery.

Kathy - Thank you, glad you're back.
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EvaMonday, September 20, 2010 at 11:49:00 AM MDT
As always your work knocks me out! BAM !!
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Stan KurthTuesday, September 21, 2010 at 6:54:00 PM MDT
Eva - Thanks, I'm so sorry I've been quite the neglectful blogger. I'll fill you in later and hopefully will be back in blogger mode here soon.
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SKIZOTuesday, October 19, 2010 at 5:48:00 PM MDT
Great
Work
good
creations
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Stan KurthSunday, October 24, 2010 at 12:02:00 AM MDT
SKIZO - Thanks!
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DJSunday, November 14, 2010 at 5:29:00 AM MST
Wonderful as always, Stan!
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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."