Comments on: Fiona Rae http://theblindswimmer.com/2008/03/17/fiona-rae/ a blog for painting, abstraction, and contemporary art for artists and art lovers Mon, 06 Oct 2008 22:30:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Gordon Fraser http://theblindswimmer.com/2008/03/17/fiona-rae/#comment-89 Gordon Fraser Wed, 16 Apr 2008 19:35:13 +0000 http://theblindswimmer.com/2008/03/17/fiona-rae/#comment-89 Hey Jeremy, Fiona creates wonderful shapes and juxtapositions in her work. What I find compelling in this piece is the underlying structure that holds the work together. Underneath all the energy and excitement of the surface is this luscious grey shape. The shape sets up an underlying division of space that activates the eye and sets up the spacial tensions. If you can just look at the shape and the ground, you can see the play of positive and negative space. None of the black shapes sits on the same plane and she is able to get the shape and the ground to move in out of each other. For instance, the black on the left side of the canvas is sliding under the grey shape while the black on the bottom right and top-center right are clearly moving in front. Even more interesting is how she is able to get areas of the grey shape to slide ahead and behind each other so that the shape as a whole does not sit on the same plane. Not easy... Now, all the shapes and gestures dance and move around within this space created by the figure/ground relationship. They also carve up the canvas into still more interesting negative shapes and forms, so that both the shapes themselves and the spaces between the shapes are equally interesting. In fact, one could make the argument that the spaces between the shapes are actually more interesting than the shapes and gestures. Regardless, in this painting, Fiona Rae creates this wonderful expansion and contraction, like breathing, that gives the painting life and energy. Hey Jeremy,
Fiona creates wonderful shapes and juxtapositions in her work. What I find compelling in this piece is the underlying structure that holds the work together. Underneath all the energy and excitement of the surface is this luscious grey shape. The shape sets up an underlying division of space that activates the eye and sets up the spacial tensions. If you can just look at the shape and the ground, you can see the play of positive and negative space. None of the black shapes sits on the same plane and she is able to get the shape and the ground to move in out of each other. For instance, the black on the left side of the canvas is sliding under the grey shape while the black on the bottom right and top-center right are clearly moving in front. Even more interesting is how she is able to get areas of the grey shape to slide ahead and behind each other so that the shape as a whole does not sit on the same plane. Not easy…

Now, all the shapes and gestures dance and move around within this space created by the figure/ground relationship. They also carve up the canvas into still more interesting negative shapes and forms, so that both the shapes themselves and the spaces between the shapes are equally interesting. In fact, one could make the argument that the spaces between the shapes are actually more interesting than the shapes and gestures. Regardless, in this painting, Fiona Rae creates this wonderful expansion and contraction, like breathing, that gives the painting life and energy.

]]> By: Jeremy Mulliez http://theblindswimmer.com/2008/03/17/fiona-rae/#comment-88 Jeremy Mulliez Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:09:33 +0000 http://theblindswimmer.com/2008/03/17/fiona-rae/#comment-88 I think This painting is really nice because it mixes colour and shape. I understand some people do not like modern art but i find it is a great piece. I think This painting is really nice because it mixes colour and shape. I understand some people do not like modern art but i find it is a great piece.

]]>