Profiles of Contemporary Art and - ARTisSpectrum

Ken Lake
Vortex II Acrylic on Canvas 24” x 36”
Ken Lake’s sharp, spectacular paintings fill
mythical landscapes with evocative details,
powerful atmosphere and visual panache. Born
and based in Michigan, he credits his lifelong
appreciation of science-fiction books as a major
influence, visible in the dramatic, mysterious settings
he portrays, the nearly abstract geometry of manmade
structures against diffuse, mirage-like natural
forms. He achieves spectacular gradients in tone
and shade that compound his compositions’ surreal
forms. Each acrylic composition is dramatically lit,
with fog and clouds creating some dynamic shapes
while shrouding others, leaving only their outlines
tantalizingly visible. There’s a strong theatrical
element to this deliberate harnessing of light, and the
rigorous compositions with strong lines and angles.
Lake’s palette of warm yellows, shifting blues and thick whites, and his singular, subjective approach to distinctly American
landscapes, evokes Georgia O’Keefe. But, perhaps more so than she, Lake balances his uncanny ability to immerse viewers
in his own, embodied visions of nature while speaking to virtually universal experiences, sensations and settings. His choice
of airbrush as a mode of application is crucial here, permitting an incredible ease of movement and exquisite textures with
startlingly vibrant colors. Even nearly abstract cloudscapes seem to float off the canvas; viewers instantly apprehend their
curves, dimensions and thickness. Ken Lake’s landscapes are at once intriguingly foreign and arresting in their familiarity.
www.mythicmichigan.com
www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Ken_Lake.aspx
Caroline Josephs PhD
Australian painter Caroline Josephs, PhD has created an
imaginative and awe-inspiring body of art, reminding us of our
timeless connection to the world, both seen and unseen. Her works
are often populated by momentous mythical events, wonderfully
alive and active, while others portray natural formations to stir
tranquil reflection in her audience. She will occasionally include
in the title of her paintings a reference to “song” or “dreaming” in
allusion to the sacred spoken narratives of her native land. Her
large-scale paintings are created with a combination of acrylic
paint, ink, crayon and pastel, with each work demanding a unique
surface treatment. Josephs has a keen eye for natural patterns
and textures. During her explorations into the ruggedly beautiful
Australian backcountry, she records the intricate surfaces of plants,
rocks and the land itself, which she then infuses into her paintings.
Josephs’ artistic approach is vivid and expressive, using an earthy,
natural palette and vigorous brushwork that seems to flow around
the canvas. “My method is to allow emergence,” she explains, “to
work into an unknown, watch carefully what appears, work with
that.” Josephs has had a close relationship with an Aboriginal elder
for over twenty years, a spiritual leader who shares her love for
storytelling and for the land. Dr. Caroline Josephs’ enduring desire
to explore provides nourishment for her imagination that enriches
her creative life.
Gorge Central Oz Acrylic on Canvas 41” x 34”
www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Caroline_Josephs_Phd.aspx
60 ARTisSpectrum