Richard Wilson: The Pond Series

Among my favorite childhood experiences growing up in Santa Cruz was exploring ponds, tide pools and creeks. The myriad of life forms: shapes, textures, rhythms, and especially the colors found there became a perfect representation of creation and the process of life. Accompanying the discoveries of color, I became fascinated with the effects of light, space, reflections, transparencies, proportions and depth. These trips led to a greater awareness of tactile sensations, energy, silence and peace. 

My new paintings, titled after ponds of California and Maine reflect these early observations, including an east-west orientation coupled with real tension/harmony of each work’s two bolted panels. 

My return to planar surface represents a counterpoint to the more sculptural relief paintings I developed during the prior ten years. Employing the flat canvas affords me greater involvement with the interaction of color and optical effects of llusory space and light. 

The early 21st century has brought near obsession with sociopolitical, economic and pervasive information concerns. Consequently, for our well-being it seems to me of great importance to focus more attention on landscape-nature.
 

- Richard Wilson, January 2017