The Artists "Review" Artists Project was launched on June 30, 2008. Below is a "review" of Aaron McMasters' work, Generra, written by Michelle Hunter. Aaron provided the second jpeg, an image of Strange Bird, as well as a brief response to Michelle's "review."
Aaron currently resides in Brooklyn, NY, and Michelle lives in New York, NY.
If you would like to participate in this project, please email me at jtkirkland [at] gmail [dot] com.
Generra
Oil on canvas
21.5" x 15"
1999-2000
The "Review"
This is quite an interesting piece. I wish I knew more about the idea/inspiration behind it but for this review I will have to base it entirely on what I see. At first glance this painting looks rather simple but by looking into it a little more, it really tells a story.
A fairly simple palette was used to create the various elements of the painting, which includes the sky, grass, earth, the tree trunk and the gorilla. My eye first went from the gorilla to the tree stump then back to the circles of what appear to be smoke surrounding the animal. The conclusion that came to me was that the stump represented either a cigar or cigarette and the white circles around the gorilla are puffs of smoke. Since animals don't smoke (as far as I know) perhaps the artist is trying to give his/her interpretation of what mankind is doing to our environment. Things have come to a point where we can do what we want, when we want, with what we want no matter who or what is effected. The gorilla is even humanized by wearing a t-shirt, standing steadily on two feet and holding a glass.
The emotion I get from the painting is a sense of melancholy and stillness. The land in the painting looks neglected. The gorilla is looking at the viewer and doesn't seem to pleased. I can only hope I took from it what the artist intended. Perhaps there is a moral to this painting to remember that we aren't the only ones that reply on this planet.
Strange Bird
oil on canvas on board
48" x 48" x 4"
1996
The Response
Easy like painting a still life, stripes, color fields. Why bother painting? Am i a mere surrealist? Nope, I'm not going to worry about it too much.
The shirt is, to my mind, a heat sensitive "Generra" brand one from the eighties - hence the title. I think I nailed it, you know, with the scumbling or whatever. I need to use smaller brushes and be more patient.
I didn't plan the picture. It is what it is.
Previous "Reviews":
Pam Farrell on Ken Weathersby
Paula McCullough on Aric Calfee
Lee Gainer on Leigh Waldron-Taylor
Aric Calfee on Paula McCullough
Matthew Ballou on Heather Levy
Giovanni Garcia-Fenech on TJ Norris
TJ Norris on Giovanni Garcia-Fenech
Susan Tolbert on Mary Klein
Heather Levy on Gail Vollrath
Sharon Butler on Matthew Ballou
Mark L. Power on Steven Alexander
Steven Alexander on Mark L. Power
Molly Norris on M. Trigos
Ken Weathersby on Joseph Barbaccia
Sondra Arkin on Susan Tolbert
John M. Adams on Sharon Butler
Michael Paul Oman-Reagan on Brent Hallard
Daniel Mafe on Pam Farrell
Joanna Knox on John M. Adams
John Lucien Grillo on Joanna Knox
Brent Hallard on Lisa Klow
Joseph Barbaccia on John Lucien Grillo
M. Trigos on Michael Paul Oman-Reagan
Mary Klein on Imants Ozers
Richard Schemmerer on Michael Konrad
Michael Konrad on Richard Schemmerer
Jennifer Mawby on Lee Gainer
Lisa Klow on Molly Norris
Bob Barbera on Jenn Figg
Tom Wagner on Kimberley L. Lindsley
Rather primitive sytle work. The sub cut-out in the sky is really interesting with the pipes. Gives a nice sense of depth in an otherwise flat image.
Posted by: todd | Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 01:09 AM
I mean Andrew Wyeth not N.C. Wyeth, There is a difference.
Posted by: Aaron McMasters | Wednesday, October 22, 2008 at 04:34 PM
I take a freudian view of this pic. smoke em if u got em
Posted by: neorush | Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at 07:37 PM