Barry Scanlan - Art

I went into an entirely different direction with this painting. Anyone who knows my art, knows I like thick lines and lots of disruptive colors, as well as a general do what I want and color-outside-the-lines feel.

But mid-century modernism is all the rage -- or has been -- maybe I'm jumping on the bandwagon a bit late -- anyway, I wanted to make a painting that would fit into Frank Sinatra's 1955 home in Palm Springs. I experimented and created something with straight lines and strong colors. I used six 16 X 12 gallery canvasses, lots of pumice, and rich colors. All the frames are bolted to each other. As a personal touch, there is a piece of wood from a chicken coop and a building cut-out from a 1950s postcard, as well. 36 X 52.5 inches.

https://www.arttochangetheworld.org/barry-scanlan-2/

An art collector purchased my one of my recent paintings, Matisse's Algerian Woman at the art opening at Twin Spirits Distillery. Matisse's art has been a huge influence for me.

An art collector in Minneapolis purchased Slow Down off the wall at Twin Spirits Distillery. Slow Down was a painted in response to the traffic speeding through the neighborhoods of northeast Minneapolis.

I wil have an art opening Friday December 14 through the holidays, at Twin Spirits Distillery, from 6 until closing. My art will be there through the holidays. Please drop by if you'd like a good drink and some unique art. Wide price range.

The 2008 financial collapse left many homes empty and deserted. These homes can be anywhere, but it easy to see them in rural areas, windows dark, the door ajar, a yard with a broken down automobile, a crummy shed, and some plastic children's toys, all strewn about the weeds and grass. 

What does it feel like to lose a home? The swirl of emotions and anger, mixed with feelings of injustice. Shame. At one time there was a social contract that if you played by the rules, went to school, got a job, and worked hard everything would be fine. That's not true anymore. You can do everything right and still end up broke and homeless. 

This is a passage from Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five:

America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, but its people are mainly poor, and poor Americans are urged to hate themselves...Every other nation has folk traditions of men who were poor but extremely wise and virtuous, and therefore more estimable than anyone with power or gold. No such tales are told by the American poor. They mock themselves and glorify their betters. 

Foreclosure. 30 X 30 Acrylics and house paint. Gels and pumice.

Most people who have had an art history class from college can look at my art and tell I am a big fan of Matisse. He used bright colors in all of his work, and so do I for the most part. Matisse has a number of portraits, some such as his wife ("The Green Line"), his artist-colleague Andre Derain, and a series of paintings depicting "Odalisque" women.

I painted "Matisse's Algerian Woman" on a 20 X 20 gallery canvas, using acrylic paints and pumice.

In the beginning.

And then sometime later.

Finally, it's recent history and here's this guy called Moses. And he's quite a character. He's a bit disheveled and birds like to sit on him and peck at his beard. Moses might have lice; who knows?

Sweet Fancy Moses.

18 X 18 on article board in a hardwood frame. Acrylics and pumice.