Sunday, March 9, 2008
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
A dissonant landscape: Translation of the work from the artist’s notes
Fine art can be considered a language. Ideas and emotions can be powerfully communicated through purely visual means.
But you do not need to understand art in order to enjoy it. In fact often the artist has no greater intention than work intuitively giving free rein to expression and the physical joy of painting. One can enjoy music without knowing music theory or how to play an instrument. The same is true regarding the visual arts.
Still, many people find that an understanding of the artist, his techniques and influences adds greater value to their enjoyment of his work. This brief treatise, (a summary of my sketchbook notes and principal muses) is offered to those people.
My “Muses”
Three people have had a profound influence in my artistic career. They are: My grandfather, Bert Berry (distinguished watercolorist from whom I learned many life lessons and to love painting); my father, Ken Berry (jazz musician who began to play professionally at age 15) and Jesus Christ, my example, mentor and savior.
My grandfather painted colorful landscapes of the American South-east. He loved the impressionists, especially Van Gogh. He rarely used black and strived for brevity of design and a freshly painted look.
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My dad played a very sensual kind of jazz comprised of complex chords and melodic lines. He was an emotionally sensitive person. He liked innovation and improvisation. I remember he was one of the first North Americans to play the “Bossa Nova”.
I am not ashamed to say that Jesus Christ is very present in my way of seeing and interpreting the world. More than 30 years ago He rescued me from the chaos of a self centered, destructive and insensitive lifestyle and gave me instead one filled with purpose and meaning. Christ never looks on the outward appearance of a thing but goes straight to the heart. I am humbly trying to do the same thing. Many of my paintings have, as a result, a double meaning that can be defined as “prophetic”.
Artistic Principles
In a “Dissonant Landscape” I wanted to explore the concept of dissonance, which is common to jazz music, and apply it to painting. Dissonant chords and notes are common in jazz. These are sounds that stand out. In fact often they are not resolved as in more traditional forms of music. A bar of jazz will often contain complex chords such as major 7th, 9th, 11th etc.
This produces a rich tonal palette. I wanted to explore color in a similar way. The palette is very high chromatically, nearly pure in fact. This was pushed farther by the use of 2 pairs of complementary colors (red-green and blue-orange). The result is a combination of both tension and harmony.
Rhythm creates a musical texture. The “back-beat” or “swing” is often rich and varied. I use texture as my bass section, sometimes in the background giving strength to the whole, and sometimes heavily to emphasize a specific element. ................................................................................................
The theme of “A Dissonant Landscape” are the fields,towns and cities of Castillia La Mancha, Spain. This, land of Don Quijote, has been my home for the last 10 years. This Spring 2007 there was an abundance of rain. The wheat fields were especially lush and filled with bright read poppies. In general the forms were simplified and reduced to geometric shapes.
Sketchbook Notes
The “La Sagra Series”: There are 6 paintings of the wheat fields and countryside just north of Toledo. Red-Green tension is especially evident here. In a metaphoric sense, green often symbolizes life, prosperity, abundance, hope and promise. Red provokes thoughts of blood, struggle and a cross. I am reminded that w/o the Cross the promise of life and abundance cannot be realized.
.......................................................................................................
Mi casa = un altar (My home = an altar): The neighborhood is dark and asleep, but one house shines. There an altar (a place where God and man meet) has been established.
.................................................................................................................
Salto del Negativo (Springing forth from the Negative):
Toledo, Spain; July 4, 2007
Linwood K. Berry
Fine art can be considered a language. Ideas and emotions can be powerfully communicated through purely visual means.
But you do not need to understand art in order to enjoy it. In fact often the artist has no greater intention than work intuitively giving free rein to expression and the physical joy of painting. One can enjoy music without knowing music theory or how to play an instrument. The same is true regarding the visual arts.
Still, many people find that an understanding of the artist, his techniques and influences adds greater value to their enjoyment of his work. This brief treatise, (a summary of my sketchbook notes and principal muses) is offered to those people.
My “Muses”
Three people have had a profound influence in my artistic career. They are: My grandfather, Bert Berry (distinguished watercolorist from whom I learned many life lessons and to love painting); my father, Ken Berry (jazz musician who began to play professionally at age 15) and Jesus Christ, my example, mentor and savior.
My grandfather painted colorful landscapes of the American South-east. He loved the impressionists, especially Van Gogh. He rarely used black and strived for brevity of design and a freshly painted look.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
My dad played a very sensual kind of jazz comprised of complex chords and melodic lines. He was an emotionally sensitive person. He liked innovation and improvisation. I remember he was one of the first North Americans to play the “Bossa Nova”.
I am not ashamed to say that Jesus Christ is very present in my way of seeing and interpreting the world. More than 30 years ago He rescued me from the chaos of a self centered, destructive and insensitive lifestyle and gave me instead one filled with purpose and meaning. Christ never looks on the outward appearance of a thing but goes straight to the heart. I am humbly trying to do the same thing. Many of my paintings have, as a result, a double meaning that can be defined as “prophetic”.
Artistic Principles
In a “Dissonant Landscape” I wanted to explore the concept of dissonance, which is common to jazz music, and apply it to painting. Dissonant chords and notes are common in jazz. These are sounds that stand out. In fact often they are not resolved as in more traditional forms of music. A bar of jazz will often contain complex chords such as major 7th, 9th, 11th etc.
This produces a rich tonal palette. I wanted to explore color in a similar way. The palette is very high chromatically, nearly pure in fact. This was pushed farther by the use of 2 pairs of complementary colors (red-green and blue-orange). The result is a combination of both tension and harmony.
Rhythm creates a musical texture. The “back-beat” or “swing” is often rich and varied. I use texture as my bass section, sometimes in the background giving strength to the whole, and sometimes heavily to emphasize a specific element. ................................................................................................
The theme of “A Dissonant Landscape” are the fields,towns and cities of Castillia La Mancha, Spain. This, land of Don Quijote, has been my home for the last 10 years. This Spring 2007 there was an abundance of rain. The wheat fields were especially lush and filled with bright read poppies. In general the forms were simplified and reduced to geometric shapes.
Sketchbook Notes
The “La Sagra Series”: There are 6 paintings of the wheat fields and countryside just north of Toledo. Red-Green tension is especially evident here. In a metaphoric sense, green often symbolizes life, prosperity, abundance, hope and promise. Red provokes thoughts of blood, struggle and a cross. I am reminded that w/o the Cross the promise of life and abundance cannot be realized.
.....................................................................................................................
Mirando la Cosecha (Looking at the Harvest):
Mirando la Cosecha (Looking at the Harvest): The promise is there, but there is a price to pay
to get it, (“the Harvest is white but the laborers
are few”).How many spend their like only looking
at it from a distance rather thanpursuing the dream?
..................................................................................
El Mundillo del Conejo (the Rabbit’s World): The silhouette of Toledo is on the horizon but Mr. Rabbit can’t see it. His world is the small bush where he lives. It may be a
pretty bush but it’s a small vision.
..................................................................................
El Mundillo del Conejo (the Rabbit’s World): The silhouette of Toledo is on the horizon but Mr. Rabbit can’t see it. His world is the small bush where he lives. It may be a
pretty bush but it’s a small vision. .......................................................................................................
Mi casa = un altar (My home = an altar): The neighborhood is dark and asleep, but one house shines. There an altar (a place where God and man meet) has been established..................................................................................................................
Salto del Negativo (Springing forth from the Negative):
I wanted to emphasize the negative (dark blue) space.
This makes the geometric orange forms seem to jump out.
..................................................................................................... 
Si los muros hablesen (if these walls could talk):
The 2000+ year old city of Toledo has seen its share of history. What would the walls tell us about what they had witnessed?Toledo, Spain; July 4, 2007
Linwood K. Berry
Monday, July 9, 2007
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Art: Learning of a new language
What is usually referred to as “abstract” is usually related to abstraction of shape. (Color, line, value and composition apply to both abstract as well as figurative works. But these are used more or less in the same way.) In preaching we often use symbols and metaphors to explain complex truths. In abstract paintings, we use shapes in the same way. So take a look at the shapes. Remember the title “beating swords into plowshares”. Can you see the hilt of a sword, an anvil-like shape and something that might relate to a plow or plowing the land? You can locate these in order from left to right.
Color can also be used as a metaphor. Red relates to blood, war and violence. Green and ochre relate to the earth and nature, to growth and in a sense to peace and prosperity. Where are these colors concentrated? Red is in the sword area and green in the nature/plow area.
So through shape and color we communicate the metaphor of war and peace. These, combined with composition and technique can make an interesting and pleasing image.
But our ultimate goal is not the work of art in itself. These are just a language. Now let’s see how we might use that language to prophesy.
These are uncertain, scary times. The primary reason for this is the violence that is spreading across the world. War and terrorism are merely tools. Politicians and ideologues more often than not are pawns rather than players. And in the eyes of many, Christians are the aggressors.
Somehow lost in this, is the fact that Jesus did not come as a triumphant Jewish Caesar. He is called the Prince of Peace and said “blessed are the peacemakers”.
Politics and armies have their legitimate place. How easy to win a war, how hard to win the peace! Peace, whether between nations, peoples or on an individual level can only come when we lay down our sword and surrender our will to the Master.
He then may place us in the fire and beat us into shape on his own unique anvil. But after that, when we are reshaped, he will take us and use us to plow the earth, preparing it for the seed. Like Paul, we can be transformed.
What was once a weapon of mass destruction, when transformed by Jesus, can become and instrument of grace and blessing. If you are truly concerned about war, why not lay down your sword and surrender to the Prince of Peace. If you live in fear of violence, you’ll find that His peace will flood your soul and dispel anxiety.
We study Greek, Hebrew and foreign languages like Japanese and Spanish so that we might effectively communicate the Gospel. But why not invest a little in learning the language of the arts as well?
Color can also be used as a metaphor. Red relates to blood, war and violence. Green and ochre relate to the earth and nature, to growth and in a sense to peace and prosperity. Where are these colors concentrated? Red is in the sword area and green in the nature/plow area.
So through shape and color we communicate the metaphor of war and peace. These, combined with composition and technique can make an interesting and pleasing image.
But our ultimate goal is not the work of art in itself. These are just a language. Now let’s see how we might use that language to prophesy.
These are uncertain, scary times. The primary reason for this is the violence that is spreading across the world. War and terrorism are merely tools. Politicians and ideologues more often than not are pawns rather than players. And in the eyes of many, Christians are the aggressors.
Somehow lost in this, is the fact that Jesus did not come as a triumphant Jewish Caesar. He is called the Prince of Peace and said “blessed are the peacemakers”.
Politics and armies have their legitimate place. How easy to win a war, how hard to win the peace! Peace, whether between nations, peoples or on an individual level can only come when we lay down our sword and surrender our will to the Master.
He then may place us in the fire and beat us into shape on his own unique anvil. But after that, when we are reshaped, he will take us and use us to plow the earth, preparing it for the seed. Like Paul, we can be transformed.
What was once a weapon of mass destruction, when transformed by Jesus, can become and instrument of grace and blessing. If you are truly concerned about war, why not lay down your sword and surrender to the Prince of Peace. If you live in fear of violence, you’ll find that His peace will flood your soul and dispel anxiety.
We study Greek, Hebrew and foreign languages like Japanese and Spanish so that we might effectively communicate the Gospel. But why not invest a little in learning the language of the arts as well?
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
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