After studying at the Art Students League of New York as a young man, Howard Ziff spent most of his life in the world of business—but he never forgot his roots. Now, he’s returned to painting, channeling his life experiences to create new pieces in a timeless, modern style.
Into It 1 is the first painting in Howard’s portfolio. Like the rest of his work, it is entirely abstract, featuring strong contrast and bright, bold colors. However, its most distinguishing characteristic is its large, geometric color fields (black, yellow, and orange-red) which help to create individual “spaces” within the canvas.
This painting asks the viewer to look deeper, past the surface of the paint. When I do – perhaps it’s just me, but—I can’t help but to feel the cold bright light of neon shining on my face, and reflecting limitlessly into the wet sky above.
I also love the circular patterns within the composition, which (when combined with the textural brushstrokes) keep your eye engaged in continuous motion, around, up, down, and back again.
And no less dynamic, these next two paintings from Howard’s collection entitled Return play off each other perfectly (there are two more in the series, as well).
This first painting features layered hues of yellow and green over white and blue, like a veil of warm colors over cold. In the second painting, blue and white prevail. . . nearly all of those warm colors are lost in a choppy yet vibrant azure sea.
Is there a message in these paintings? I don’t doubt it—but I’ll leave you to find your own, as I’ve found mine.
If you have a few minutes today, I encourage you to head on over to Howard’s website and view the rest of his paintings in his portfolio. You won’t be disappointed!
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