Today’s featured artist is Marianne Hornbuckle of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Marianne describes her abstract paintings as combining “Eastern aesthetic and Western color” and of course that appealed to me right from the start. (I always enjoy minimalist compositions, and I love bold colors.)
However, what I really like about Marianne’s work is the way she uses a consistent visual language throughout all of her paintings.
It’s her visual style, if you will, and it incorporates several specific geometric shapes, lines, and textures. Once you’ve studied a few of her paintings you’ll feel as though you can comfortably “read” her other work too.
I’ll give you an example, but let’s start by looking at Spring Meditation, below.
As an abstract artist, Marianne has a lot of leeway in which to describe the essence of spring. In this case, she chose spring-like colors (light blues and greens, with tints of yellow) and kept her geometric patterns fairly soft.
Even that curving arc of red is rather subdued, compared to her other paintings, yet it still adds a burst of color and creates a prominent focal point.
Now take a look at this next painting, entitled One Fine Day. As you’ll see, Marianne uses the same curving line, similar textures, and more geometric shapes underneath.
The two paintings are quite different, but the visual language is the same. Where Spring Meditation imparts a sense of growth, greenery, and spring showers; One Fine Day radiates summer—with hot sun and blue skies.
I’m not sure that there’s any definitive significance attached to the circular forms and curving lines that Marianne uses (I choose to think of them as relating to the sun, or the passage of time) but whatever their meaning, they do figure quite prominently in many of her paintings.
In Desert Tides I she uses a full circle, more texture, and adds several vertical shapes to her composition.
Personally, I love this composition, and see it as an abstract cityscape (featuring skyscrapers lit by the evening sun) more than anything else.
For more of Marianne Hornbuckle’s work, please take a moment to visit her website and browse around. In addition to her abstract paintings, you’ll also find some beautiful monotypes and small bronze sculptures. . . all of which are definitely worth a look.