Watermedia Works

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Depravity 3

depravity |diˈpravitē|
noun ( pl. -ties)
moral corruption : a tale of wickedness and depravity.
• a wicked or morally corrupt act.
• Christian Theology the innate corruptness of human nature, due to original sin.
ORIGIN mid 17th cent.: alteration (influenced by deprave ) of obsolete pravity, from Latin pravitas, from pravus ‘crooked, perverse.’

Thesaurus
depravity
noun
the depravity of white slavers corruption, vice, perversion, deviance, degeneracy, immorality, debauchery, dissipation, profligacy, licentiousness, lechery, prurience, obscenity, indecency; wickedness, sin, iniquity; formal turpitude.


1.1.2011

1.9.2011

1.22.2011

1.29.2011

1.30.2011

2.4.2011

2.5.2011

2.6.2011

11.25.2010

11.26.2010

12.5.2010

12.12.2010

12.18.2010

12.19.2010

12.27.2010

12.31.2010

9 comments:

Casey KlahnWednesday, February 16, 2011 at 5:21:00 AM MST
You don't stop at easy, do you? This series of images is a tour de force. I am very impressed.

Well blogged, too.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Happy Little Trees StudioWednesday, February 16, 2011 at 1:11:00 PM MST
Interesting and haunting group of works. Very nice!
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousWednesday, February 16, 2011 at 7:05:00 PM MST
Evocative, sophisticated, complex, well stated.
ReplyDelete
Replies
-DonThursday, February 17, 2011 at 2:43:00 AM MST
Wow! I enjoyed the trip through all these works. It's impressive to see how consistently strong each of these images are and that you've done them all in such a short span of time. I have to end this comment now because I can't wait to scroll back up through them.

-Don
ReplyDelete
Replies
UnknownSunday, February 20, 2011 at 1:06:00 AM MST
Your ability to create and execute truly complex and effective designs continues to blow me away! I'm a huge fan of your work. Depravity is an interesting concept to explore.
ReplyDelete
Replies
FrancoSunday, February 20, 2011 at 11:24:00 AM MST
Oi!
Teus trabalhos são ótimos!
Parabéns.
ReplyDelete
Replies
Stan KurthSunday, February 20, 2011 at 5:23:00 PM MST
Casey - Thank you. You're right, I don't stop at easy, in fact I can't seem to stop at all or stay in one place too long. Anyway, good to hear from you, I always value your opinion.

Kimberly - Thank you - I recently checked out your blog and I must say that having been a surfer at one time in my life, those seascapes of yours are mighty inviting. Nice work!

Pam - Thank you - I'm a simple guy, so I don't know where the complexity is coming from. I appreciate your always pertinent comments.

Don - Thank you - Glad you enjoyed them. I must admit, most every time I go to your blog I end up spending all my time either catching up on previous blogs or your website in general just looking at images. I liked the photo with your son "enjoying" your art. Reminded me of my two daughters still living with me. They are attached to the hand held devices.

Kathy - Thank you - I'm always delighted to hear from you. So many times I wanted to post on the Kandinsky book on your blog, but opted just to read all the others and leave no trace of my stupidity. It was certainly a good topic, just don't have the time I used to - perhaps soon.

Roseli Obrigado! Para os comentários e por me seguir. Sinto-me honrado!
ReplyDelete
Replies
DynamiteJWednesday, March 9, 2011 at 8:23:00 AM MST
well i'm super impressed, your work has a lot of expression and strength ! it cames from inside, and make me think about Francis Bacon, it's very simmilar to him I think :D nice job and hope to see more !
ReplyDelete
Replies
Stan KurthThursday, March 10, 2011 at 10:29:00 PM MST
DynamiteJ - Thanks, you're not the first to compare my work to Francis Bacon. I think his work has a little more snarl to it.
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

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."