“You have got to find out about his paintings (…) Wilbur is an interpreter of Cézanne and Mondrian.” – Lewis
Wilbur Niewald early work, 1970s
Wilbur Niewald
Following this advice, I looked up Wilbur Niewald. My eyes were most eager to look at his drawings, still life, and watercolor landscapes, indeed reminiscent of Cezanne and Mondrian (pre-squares, 1911-1915). Again, similar to what I’ve been seeing in drawings that follow the trail from Rembrandt through Cezanne and into contemporary styles of drawing, the composition once again feels dense with information. The painter’s observation notes on small swatches of relationships in value, form, shape, and space slow the viewer down to look as effectively as pulling the emergency brake lever on a car. One bit of description is next to another, then a jump to the next bit of description next to another, all in fragments that stitch together. The marks themselves become the rhythm and motif, as they describe the forms, each mark talks to other in call and response.
A note from Keith Pfeiffer: For a full size image of the flowers painting above, contact Keith Pfeiffer. Online art classes with Keith Pfeiffer Digital Painting, Wednesday, April 1, 7:00-8:30. $5 Quickie Beginning Figure Drawing, 3 Wednesdays starting April 8, 1:30-3:30. $65 Advanced Doodling, 2 Thursdays starting April 9, 6:30-8:30. $35 Digital Landscape Painting, 3 …
[image_with_animation image_url=”9902″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] As part of our Art & Activism series with Fredericka Foster and the Salish Sea Project, the League has adopted an orca whale. Proceeds from orca adoptions support ongoing education, research and public outreach through the Whale Museum. There were many whales up for adoption, and League artists voted to adopt Lazuli, an …
“The beginning is the best part. Why continue? Yes, things will get richer and deeper, but the simplicity and directness of a birdsong is soon gone. When I get old and begin losing my marbles I will learn to keep it simple, the way Matisse, De Kooning and Whistler did in the end.” – Alex …
The Seattle Artist League is pleased to announce the extended exhibition “Vivid Shifts,” featuring the work of Alan Byars, a longstanding painting student at the League. After completing his painting “Cool Reflections” (below) which immersed him in meticulous hyper-realism through years of sporadic engagement, Alan decided to find the fun again, with a pivot towards …
Wilbur Niewald, interpreter of Cézanne and Mondrian
In the previous post featuring Stanley Lewis, Lewis was quoted on his admiration of Wilbur Niewald.
“You have got to find out about his paintings (…) Wilbur is an interpreter of Cézanne and Mondrian.” – Lewis
Following this advice, I looked up Wilbur Niewald. My eyes were most eager to look at his drawings, still life, and watercolor landscapes, indeed reminiscent of Cezanne and Mondrian (pre-squares, 1911-1915). Again, similar to what I’ve been seeing in drawings that follow the trail from Rembrandt through Cezanne and into contemporary styles of drawing, the composition once again feels dense with information. The painter’s observation notes on small swatches of relationships in value, form, shape, and space slow the viewer down to look as effectively as pulling the emergency brake lever on a car. One bit of description is next to another, then a jump to the next bit of description next to another, all in fragments that stitch together. The marks themselves become the rhythm and motif, as they describe the forms, each mark talks to other in call and response.
Wilbur Niewald on watercolor in the Landscape
Wilbur Neiwald, Still Life
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A note from Keith Pfeiffer: For a full size image of the flowers painting above, contact Keith Pfeiffer. Online art classes with Keith Pfeiffer Digital Painting, Wednesday, April 1, 7:00-8:30. $5 Quickie Beginning Figure Drawing, 3 Wednesdays starting April 8, 1:30-3:30. $65 Advanced Doodling, 2 Thursdays starting April 9, 6:30-8:30. $35 Digital Landscape Painting, 3 …
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[image_with_animation image_url=”9902″ alignment=”” animation=”None” box_shadow=”none” max_width=”100%”] As part of our Art & Activism series with Fredericka Foster and the Salish Sea Project, the League has adopted an orca whale. Proceeds from orca adoptions support ongoing education, research and public outreach through the Whale Museum. There were many whales up for adoption, and League artists voted to adopt Lazuli, an …
The beginning is the best part, Kanevsky
“The beginning is the best part. Why continue? Yes, things will get richer and deeper, but the simplicity and directness of a birdsong is soon gone. When I get old and begin losing my marbles I will learn to keep it simple, the way Matisse, De Kooning and Whistler did in the end.” – Alex …
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