Intersections @ 5 artist John F. Simon Jr. thinks of his work Linear Moments as “a metaphor for the creative process. We begin with some idea of what we’re going to make and then as the creative process grows, the meaning grows, and the piece itself gets larger and larger.”
The Phillips celebrates the fifth anniversary of its Intersections contemporary art series with Intersections@5, an exhibition comprising work by 20 of the participating artists. In this blog series, each artist writes about his or her work on view.
Kate Shepherd, Chrysanthemum, 2010. Oil and enamel on paper, 28 x 38 in. Purchase, The Hereward Lester Cooke Memorial Fund and Gift of C. Richard Belger and Evelyn R. Craft, 2010
While it seems to be a relatively small task to make a “medium-sized” work, it is a surprisingly hard challenge. My work tends to be door-like. The figures (however you define that term) inhabit a space that echos real life—with a gravity and stance that living beings share. On the other hand, the smaller painting puts us in a position of looking upon an image, or in the case of Chrysanthemum, upon a mere idea of an object, a geometric “absolute” construction. I wanted to point to Mondrian’s copious flower studies; my yellow made that connection clear.
Black Tiles is a lyrical optical trick, a graceful linear movement to behold. How do those straight lines billow? Unlike the paradigm of a painting acting as window, we look upon this image and not through it.
Kate Shepherd
Throughout the American Moments exhibition, we’ve been highlighting responses to our Title This! in-gallery interactive. Some participants have been quite punny. Water you thinking about? Let us know on social media with #AmericanMoments!
Credits clockwise from top left: Lauren; Marc Kron from VA; Carly Hurwitz from IL; James Moore from DC; and Kristy Pettie from DC.
