Prismatic
John D'Orazio
Artist Statement: Almost all of the paintings that I do start with laying down a precise geometric grid on canvas. I then use a mix of opaque, transparent and metallic acrylic paints to complete the piece, isolating distinct shapes on the grid and blocking them off with painter’s tape. Each of my compositions, which tend to be rich in color and vibrancy, explores the many ways light refracts, splinters, and harmonizes. I view color as an interesting metaphor for humanity. Each one of us, like an individual color, is unique and beautiful, but we can be so much more when we interact with each other in meaningful, cooperative and logical ways. Just like colors defy easy classification, so do people. Green is made when blue mixes with yellow, but there are so many shades of green – just look around a park or wooded area in summertime. There is no one “true” green, just as there is no one “true” person. We’re all individual, but interrelated at the same time, drawing on each other through shared experiences that influence how we define ourselves. The textures and shapes of the paintings I create mirror the complexity of being human – unpredictable, interrelated, and yet somehow ordered.
About the Artist: In my mid-fifties, I embarked on an unexpected journey into the realm of art, finding solace and fulfillment with acrylic paints and geometric forms. My canvas became a sanctuary where I could generate order and beauty during a time when my life lacked much of either. I am a physician who provides care for children with cancer and blood diseases and a scientist who does cancer research. My “day job” has many ups and downs, and it is difficult to disengage completely when I leave work. In my years of being a physician scientist, I have found that the key to avoiding burnout is to be a well-balanced person, and this is what painting does for me. Painting is relaxing and meditative. It gives me focus, and I get enormous satisfaction from having an idea for a painting and seeing it develop gradually as I add new colors and textures.
My style is geometric and modern, with vibrant colors and patterns chosen to match the inspiration for the particular piece I am working on. I use basic geometric tools – rulers, compasses, protractors and a pencil - to lay down a geometric grid, then add colors in ways that I think makes sense. As the piece progresses one color at a time, I reevaluate and determine if it needs more dark, more light, more metallics, more impasto, etc. Because they dry relatively quickly and respect boundaries outlined by painter’s tape to give crisp edges, acrylics are the perfect medium to use for my geometric compositions. Through the interplay of lines, angles, and patterns, I strive to capture the elusive balance between simplicity and complexity.
About the Artist: In my mid-fifties, I embarked on an unexpected journey into the realm of art, finding solace and fulfillment with acrylic paints and geometric forms. My canvas became a sanctuary where I could generate order and beauty during a time when my life lacked much of either. I am a physician who provides care for children with cancer and blood diseases and a scientist who does cancer research. My “day job” has many ups and downs, and it is difficult to disengage completely when I leave work. In my years of being a physician scientist, I have found that the key to avoiding burnout is to be a well-balanced person, and this is what painting does for me. Painting is relaxing and meditative. It gives me focus, and I get enormous satisfaction from having an idea for a painting and seeing it develop gradually as I add new colors and textures.
My style is geometric and modern, with vibrant colors and patterns chosen to match the inspiration for the particular piece I am working on. I use basic geometric tools – rulers, compasses, protractors and a pencil - to lay down a geometric grid, then add colors in ways that I think makes sense. As the piece progresses one color at a time, I reevaluate and determine if it needs more dark, more light, more metallics, more impasto, etc. Because they dry relatively quickly and respect boundaries outlined by painter’s tape to give crisp edges, acrylics are the perfect medium to use for my geometric compositions. Through the interplay of lines, angles, and patterns, I strive to capture the elusive balance between simplicity and complexity.
Public Gallery Hours
Wednesday 12pm-5pm
Thursday 12pm-5pm Friday 12pm-5pm Saturday 12pm - 5pm Viewings also available by appointment |
The Loudoun House
209 Castlewood Dr. Lexington, Ky. 40505 Email: LexingtonArtLeague@gmail.com
Phone 859-254-7024 |
All Lexington Art League programs are made possible through the generous support of LexArts.
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The Kentucky Arts Council, a state arts agency, provides operating support to the Lexington Art League with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support provided by Lexington Parks & Recreation.
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