“I investigate questions about the world through my works – that which is visible and still invisible and that which is audible and yet audible,” says Eunhyue Shin. In her art, many boundaries are crossed—between East and West, abstraction and representation, and music and fine art. Musical instruments figure prominently in her works, whether she is disassembling them to form daring collages on canvas, or is painting on wooden surfaces that take the shape of instruments.
Exploring Acrylic Art
Journey into the captivating and vibrant world of acrylics from ARTmine!
A crylic paint was first developed in the 1950s as house paint, and made commercially available as artist grade paints in the 1960s. The term ‘acrylic’ refers to the fact that the pigment for the paint is suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints are water-based pigments that can instantly add life to a composition with their vibrant colors and versatile character.
“In acrylic, happiness comes a bit faster.”
– Robert Genn
Acrylic paints have been a popular medium among artists ever since their introduction in the sixties. Despite being widely known as one of the easiest paint types to work with, acrylics require a high level of skill to actually perfect the bold textures and techniques. The medium itself encourages experimentation and involvement, which is probably why every artist subsequently develops their own unique technique to work with.
Below is a small but diverse selection of acrylic works by Agora Gallery artists.
Acrylic Abstracts
Acrylic on Canvas, 59.5″ x 239.5″, $2550 (each)
George Struikelblok’s acrylic paintings are playful and vibrantly colored with thick patches of blues, greens, and oranges. His pieces are tied to the theme of family with titles emphasizing togetherness, happiness, and embrace. “People’s emotions and lives are changed by personal experiences. Having my own family has inspired that change in me and in my work,” he explains.
Acrylic on Canvas, 16″ x 16″, $1800 (each)
Drawing inspiration from the “nature and the beauty that surrounds us” Annette Balsgaard’s impressionistic abstract paintings capture and convey the different moods of nature: the dynamism of spring, the peacefulness of a meadow, or even the violence of a summer storm. “I am fascinated by the forces of nature – both the colors as well as the contours and structures that can be found within,” she says.
Acrylic on Canvas, 40″ x 40″, $3400 (each)
Using techniques of both building and breaking down to create his three-dimensional patterns, Menno Vos’ abstract paintings explore texture and color as they relate to the natural world. “Full of color, depth, and sometimes a bit mysterious, my paintings always come from the heart and show who I am and what I love in life,” he says.
Acrylic on Canvas, 39.5″ x 31.5″, $3650 (each)
“Art is a form of human expression. I am not good with words, but in art, I find a true form of self-expression,” says Chinese artist, Chen Jin. His vibrant acrylic paintings reflect the recent modernization and globalization of China within the framework of traditional Chinese arts. Jin’s unique style brings the excitement of a bright new future held in check by a sense of the mysterious.
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Figurative Acrylics
Acrylic on Canvas, 39.5″ x 31.5″, $6500 (each)
“My paintings reflect on the conflicts of the human mind with its deepest fears,” explains Ricardo Vivanco whose evocative paintings are both powerful and intriguing. Vivanco is fascinated by the inner lives of people everywhere, and his knowledge and imagination lead him to create pieces with an air of melancholy offset by hope. ” am a physician, a psychiatrist and a painter, but more than anything else, I am myself and my circumstances,” says the artist.
Acrylic on Canvas, 30″ x 40″, $4350 (each)
“Art, to me, first and foremost cathartic. It is a way for me to translate my emotions into a visual form,” says American artist, Frank M. Alba. His thought-provoking acrylic paintings are as imaginative in scope as they are laden with subconscious meaning. “I visualize an image in my mind, dwell over it for days or even weeks and then translate that onto my canvas,” he says, explaining his artistic process.
Acrylic on Canvas, 32″ x 24″, $2650 (each)
Creating a beautiful amalgamation between abstract and figurative paintings, Rita Galambos’ acrylic works are nearly always bound by water, which she sees as conduits for her own emotions. “I try to be very smooth and ethereal with my art,” Galambos says. “I also try to paint fast to ensure my current feelings are captured in the painting.”
Ethereal Landscape Paintings Evoke the Abstract Beauty of Morning Light in the Mountains
Artist Blu Smith creates colorful abstract paintings that explore how light interacts with the landscapes of the Canadian West Coast. The talented creative has spent several years developing his style, allowing his changing environment to inform how and what he paints. Today, he’s celebrated for his vibrant works that capture the magical quality of dappled sunlight shining through forest trees.
Smith’s love of light began when he and his wife moved to their hillside home on the Saanich Peninsula, where they had a view of Mount Baker. “Every morning I would be in the kitchen, pouring my coffee and getting ready to descend into the darkness of the studio when the sun would begin to rise from behind the mountain,” recalls Smith. “The sunrises were spectacular! I began to take mental snapshots of the light and colors that filled the morning sky.”
The painter used these mental images as inspiration for introducing light and vibrancy into his work. He says, “[I] infused them with color and a glowing sense of atmosphere that transformed them from two dimensions into the feeling of depth and space.”
A shift in Smith’s artistic style occurred in 2013 when he and his family moved to the lush forested area of North Saanich. Morning sunrises were replaced by light playfully peering through the trees that surrounded his home. “The scale of the towering Douglas firs and how light found its way through deeply affected me as well as my art,” says Smith. “What came from this was a new direction in my work and a journey exploring abstracted landscapes of Vancouver Island.” This is evident in many of the artist’s recent paintings, where soft, colorful light appears to burst through silhouetted trees.
Although he’s inspired by his immediate surroundings, Smith is less concerned with accurately documenting a landscape than he is with capturing its essence. And he achieves his goal; through bold brushstrokes in vibrant hues, each painting depicts nature as a kaleidoscope of color. “Abstraction is the vehicle and color is the fuel,” says Smith. “These two are deeply intertwined in my paintings. Without one there is no other.”
Rather than plan out a painting in advance, Smith lets his intuition guide his brush around the canvas. “A painting will ebb and flow and go through many versions until I feel I get it right.” He says. “It becomes a version of paradise with all the beauty, color, and light that I see every day outside my home.”
Scroll down to check out some of Smith’s abstract art and find more from his portfolio on his website and Instagram. If you’re feeling inspired, you can sign up for Smith’s online painting course where you’ll learn how to create your own abstract landscapes.
Artist Blu Smith captures light in his colorful abstract paintings of Canadian forests.
Blu Smith Gallery: Website | Facebook | Instagram
My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Blu Smith Gallery.
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Emma Taggart
Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
