Making Statements | Explore Abstract Art

September 8, 2024

Artists Who Explore Subtle Nuance and Bold Gestures

Abstract art thrives in ambiguity, where form and emotion collide in unexpected ways. This is evident in the work of Jeri Ledbetter, David Skillicorn, Lisa Weiss, and Chris Brandell, four contemporary artists who are each reinterpreting abstraction on their own terms. Through subtle nuance and bold gestures, their canvases open a dialogue about space, form, and the act of creation itself.

Jeri Ledbetter’s paintings evoke the atmospheric, with layered textures that give the sense of time and place slowly unraveling on the canvas. Her soft, almost meditative palette belies a tension beneath the surface, as if the colors are caught between solidity and vapor. There’s a feeling of transition in her work, one that compels the viewer to linger in the in-between spaces, engaging not just with the visual but with the psychological undercurrent.

David Skillicorn, on the other hand, confronts the viewer with a more structured approach. His geometric forms, though contained, burst with energy, as if they are on the verge of collapse or expansion. Skillicorn’s use of space is particularly intriguing—there’s a push-pull effect, with forms appearing both confined yet ready to explode beyond their borders. His work hints at the tension between control and chaos, making it both rigorous and explosive.

Lisa Weiss engages with abstraction in a more organic manner, leaning into the fluidity of nature as her muse. Her color fields bleed into one another with an ease that suggests the rhythms of the natural world—clouds dispersing, water flowing. There’s a certain quietude to her canvases, but also a reminder of nature’s unpredictability, as if the works are moments in an ongoing evolution. It’s a delicate balancing act between the serene and the unpredictable.

Lastly, Chris Brandell's works explode with vitality. There’s a visceral quality to her brushwork, a physicality that brings the viewer into the act of creation. Her pieces seem to grapple with the very essence of abstraction, pushing it to its limits with layers of paint that feel almost sculptural. The textures demand attention, as if the surface itself is alive, teeming with the energy of the artist's hand. Brandell's work is a dance between instinct and precision, a testament to the raw power of abstract expression.

Together, these four artists continue to push the boundaries of abstraction, proving that the language of form and color is far from exhausted. Their work not only questions how we see but how we feel and experience the world around us.