STRATA SERIES

“I wanted to take my somewhat textural painting to a new level. These pieces are much like the landscape paintings of previous works but are much more three-dimensional. I am attempting to make my newest work more like sculpture and hope the work encourages the viewer to move from left to right or vice versa to see the changes that occur in the shape and color from the different perspectives.”

Copper Dream Diptych 36x72 — Copper Dream Diptych 36×72

Ice Blue Transition 40x45 — Ice Blue Transition 40×45

Orange Transition I 36x36 — Orange Transition I 36×36

Orange Transition II 48x48 — Orange Transition II 48×48

Transitions II 36x36 — Transitions II 36×36

Transition III 36x36 — Transition III 36×36

Orange Diamond 42x42 — Orange Diamond 42×42

Strata Study I 34x34 — Strata Study I 34×34

Copper Transition I 36x36 — Copper Transition I 36×36

Copper Transition II 36x36 — Copper Transition II 36×36

Copper Transition III 36x36 — Copper Transition III 36×36

Transition Study 24x24 — Transition Study 24×24

Orange Works I 63x68 — Orange Works I 63×68

Blue Strata II 36x36 — Blue Strata II 36×36

Copper Vision I&II diptych 36x72 — Copper Vision I&II diptych 36×72

Earth Diptych 48x96 — Earth Diptych 48×96

Earth Works I 65x58 — Earth Works I 65×58

Earth Works II 60x66 — Earth Works II 60×66

Fire Valley diptych 36x72 — Fire Valley diptych 36×72

Gold Strata I 36x36 — Gold Strata I 36×36

Gold Strata Series diptych 36x72 — Gold Strata Series diptych 36×72

Gold Works I&II diptych 36x72 — Gold Works I&II diptych 36×72

Gold Works III&IV Stacked Diptych 36x36 — Gold Works III&IV Stacked Diptych 36×36

Intersecting Strata I&II diptych 36x72 — Intersecting Strata I&II diptych 36×72

Red Strata I&II Stacked Diptych 36x72 — Red Strata I&II Stacked Diptych 36×72

Layered Movement diptych 30x30 — Layered Movement diptych 30×30

Strata Series S3 48x48 — Strata Series S3 48×48

Orange Strata 54x52 — Orange Strata 54×52

Random Thoughts 24x24 — Random Thoughts 24×24

Vertical Strata Form 42x52 — Vertical Strata Form 42×52

Rhythm & BLues I, II, III, IV 36 x 36 each piece

Between the lines I 24x24 — Between the lines I 24×24

Between the Lines II 24x24 — Between the Lines II 24×24

Center Strata 24x24 — Center Strata 24×24

Gold Blue Strata 24x24 — Gold Blue Strata 24×24

Copper Band Strata 24x24 — Copper Band Strata 24×24

Blue Green Strata 24x24 — Blue Green Strata 24×24

Puple Band Strata 24x24 — Puple Band Strata 24×24

Siler Wise Strata 24x24 — Siler Wise Strata 24×24

Brazen Purple Strata 24x24 — Brazen Purple Strata 24×24

SPACE WORKS

“Black backgrounds are very seductive and moody. Having said that, I consider these paintings my fun work. To me the content is optimistic and promising – a new world – a new beginning – birth in the galaxies – this is not dark work.”

New Beginnings I 48x48 — New Beginnings I 48×48

New Beginnings II 48x48 — New Beginnings II 48×48

Space triptych 108x36 — Space triptych 108×36

FIBER WORKS

This series first came about as a result of rather primitive experimentation with cloth, metal, string, wire, paper, various glues and other materials that just happen to be lying around the studio, and the desire to create work that didn’t conform to the standard format of my two dimensional paintings. Having some background in fashion design and a real love of African art, I was inspired to make work that has a garment or vestment like character with historical references: therefore, missing edges, uneven boundaries, and segmented compositions.”

Ceremonial Dress 30x90 — Ceremonial Dress 30×90

Ornamental Cape 62x36 — Ornamental Cape 62×36

Reign of Gold 53x88 — Reign of Gold 53×88

Wedding Dress II 88x29 — Wedding Dress II 88×29

SHAPES

“When I returned to painting after being involved with design and building residences for some years, I had to try to pick up where I left off with my work in Chicago. I think this series represents a strong affinity for both architecture and graphic design, which are a big part of my past experience. This was the starting point from which all my subsequent work evolved. Color intensity and contrast has always been important to me so it was natural for me to make paintings demonstrating my strong feeling about color and it’s relationships.”

Bands of Turquoise 48x60 — Bands of Turquoise 48×60

Black Squared 66x49 — Black Squared 66×49

Intersecting Planes 48x60 — Intersecting Planes 48×60

It's All About the Purple 36x60 — It’s All About the Purple 36×60

Mellow Yellow 54x72 — Mellow Yellow 54×72

Primary Colors 50x70 — Primary Colors 50×70

Scalene Triangles 102x96 — Scalene Triangles 102×96

Vibrating Squares 50x70 — Vibrating Squares 50×70

Fields

“Most of these paintings, like so many of those in other series, are about assorted types of earth and seascapes. The predominate methods used to make this work are similar to ones in the action series, but a more controlled and subtle relation to the marks on the canvas of many of these works can be seen. Using smaller amounts of paint applied layer after layer almost like air brushing help create an array of many different colors which define the composition.”

Australia Under the Influence 36x36 — Australia Under the Influence 36×36

Autumn Leaves 48x60 — Autumn Leaves 48×60

Copper Overload 48x60 — Copper Overload 48×60

Fields of Gold I 36x72 — Fields of Gold I 36×72

Fields of Gold II 36x72 — Fields of Gold II 36×72

Light/Water/Life II 108x36 — Light/Water/Life II 108×36

Metalic Exporation II 36x72 — Metalic Exporation II 36×72

Metallic Exploration I 30x64 — Metallic Exploration I 30×64

Red Center II 36x48 — Red Center II 36×48

Under the Pond 36x36 — Under the Pond 36×36

Waters Way I 106x52 — Waters Way I 106×52

Waters Way II 96x52 — Waters Way II 96×52

Into the Deep 48x48 — Into the Deep 48×48

River Rainbow 36x108 — River Rainbow 36×108

By the Sea Shore 48x48 — By the Sea Shore 48×48

Gold Trails I & II 30x30 each piece — Gold Trails I & II 30×30 each piece

Blue Interlude 36x72 — Blue Interlude 36×72

Fire Valley I, II, & III 36x48 each piece — Fire Valley I, II, & III 36×48 each piece

COLOR SCAPES

“These paintings are about color over color. Every line and every dot is applied with palette knives and dowels so that there is purpose in the execution of the work. As the paint builds up a bumping occurs that becomes more and more exaggerated as the work progresses resulting in the addition of texture and depth to the surface of these pieces.”

Blue Blue Linear Series 48x60 — Blue Blue Linear Series 48×60

Orange Linear Series 50x70 — Orange Linear Series 50×70

Rainbow Linear Series 60x84 — Rainbow Linear Series 60×84

Red Orange I Linear Series 50x70 — Red Orange I Linear Series 50×70

Red Orange II Linear Series 48x60 — Red Orange II Linear Series 48×60

Reign of Gold Series 50x70 — Reign of Gold Series 50×70

Yellow Green I Linear Series 50x70 — Yellow Green I Linear Series 50×70

Yellow Green II Linear Series 42x60 — Yellow Green II Linear Series 42×60

Yellow Orange Linear Dot Series 50x70 — Yellow Orange Linear Dot Series 50×70

Yellow Orange Linear Series 50x70 — Yellow Orange Linear Series 50×70

COLOR PLAY

“Much of this work evolved from my desire to depart from my normal approach to making art. Many of the smaller collage-like pieces, particularly the “Fresh Paint” piece, were constructed from paint sheets that were taken off the plastic sheeting protecting the walls of my studio. After months and months of throwing paint at canvas, the left over “after spray” was thick enough to be used as the material for much of this work.”

Black Interrupted 42x54 — Black Interrupted 42×54

Composition I 24x36 — Composition I 24×36

Composition II 36x48 — Composition II 36×48

Composition IV 24x24 — Composition IV 24×24

Composition V 24x24 — Composition V 24×24

Composition VI 24x24 — Composition VI 24×24

ACTION WORKS

“First, layers of color are applied using an assortment of tools. Once a composition starts to reveal itself, multiple layers are added and after the paint begins to set, I carve lines and shapes into the paintings. The surfaces of this work have a heavy impasto feeling. Another technique was to actually throw paint against the work after the background was executed. When paint is thrown with force its flight is recorded when the paint hits the canvas. I like to stress that there is no dripping in this process, but a very aggressive series of movements that are used to achieve the action.”

Pat McNabb Martin

Artworks