Roy van der Aa
Trying to Catch the Wind
Main Gallery
SEP 10, 2022 – OCT 23, 2022
SEP 10, 2022 – OCT 23, 2022
Artist’s Statement: These painted collages are a way of re-imagining landscape painting. Traditional landscape is a static snapshot which freezes a scene. Even as a kid drawing in the backseat of the family car, I noticed that clouds moved, light moved and ebbed and flowed. When I began to sketch and paint outdoors wind blew my canvas board and bugs flew into the paint. Not only that - I moved and my mood changed as well. Images flowed into eachother and I wanted to find a way to express that.
At an exercise in late 2017 with the Insighters, an art discussion group, we each did a fast torn paper collage and used it to interpret a quote we were given. I received the William Plover quote, “Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.” This resonated with me and I overpainted copies of my collage in unique variations finding connections between different elements in different ways.
The variations are almost musical in nature - I state a theme and then expand on it thoughtfully and immediately. These works are quirky, moody and self contradictory - I enjoy them greatly.
At an exercise in late 2017 with the Insighters, an art discussion group, we each did a fast torn paper collage and used it to interpret a quote we were given. I received the William Plover quote, “Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.” This resonated with me and I overpainted copies of my collage in unique variations finding connections between different elements in different ways.
The variations are almost musical in nature - I state a theme and then expand on it thoughtfully and immediately. These works are quirky, moody and self contradictory - I enjoy them greatly.
Roy van der Aa: Born in Amsterdam, Holland in 1956, Roy van der Aa grew up in Montreal, Canada. His formal education includes 2 years of Fine Art specialty at John Abbott College, and 3 years at Concordia University studying studio art and archaeology. He moved to the US in 1989. He is a founding member of ArtForms, the sponsoring organization for Las Cruces’ annual Love of Art celebration.
He has had over 118 solo, 2 person, and group shows. He has exhibited throughout the southwest United States and Quebec in Canada. His work can be seen at RioBravoFineArt in Truth or Consequences and Unsettled Gallery in Las Cruces. He has also shown at Gallery 408 in Carrizozo, Collectibles 4U in Tularosa and Art Obscura and Glenn Cutter in Las Cruces. His hand pulled prints were featured at Iris and Shriek in Amsterdam in 2018 accompanying those by Miró, Chagall and Picasso. He also participated in the premiere exhibit of the Hiatus collective in London in September 2019.
He has had over 118 solo, 2 person, and group shows. He has exhibited throughout the southwest United States and Quebec in Canada. His work can be seen at RioBravoFineArt in Truth or Consequences and Unsettled Gallery in Las Cruces. He has also shown at Gallery 408 in Carrizozo, Collectibles 4U in Tularosa and Art Obscura and Glenn Cutter in Las Cruces. His hand pulled prints were featured at Iris and Shriek in Amsterdam in 2018 accompanying those by Miró, Chagall and Picasso. He also participated in the premiere exhibit of the Hiatus collective in London in September 2019.
CLICK ON THE IMAGES FOR ENLARGED VIEWING
Traditional landscape is a static snapshot which freezes a scene. As a kid drawing in the backseat van der Aa noticed that clouds moved, light moved and ebbed and flowed. When he sketched and painted outdoors wind blew and bugs flew into the paint. Not only that – the artist moved and his mood changed as well. Images flowed into each other and he wanted to find a way to express that.
At an exercise in late 2017 with an art discussion group, each participant did a fast torn paper collage and used it to interpret an assigned quote. Van der Aa received the William Plover quote, “Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.” This resonated with him and he overpainted copies of his collage in unique variations finding connections between different elements in various ways. This meant choosing a different dominant color in each piece and enlarging or reducing elements. The variations are almost musical in nature.
At an exercise in late 2017 with an art discussion group, each participant did a fast torn paper collage and used it to interpret an assigned quote. Van der Aa received the William Plover quote, “Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly unconnected.” This resonated with him and he overpainted copies of his collage in unique variations finding connections between different elements in various ways. This meant choosing a different dominant color in each piece and enlarging or reducing elements. The variations are almost musical in nature.
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