Blue Man Suit
Watercolor
14.5" x 20.75"
NFS
Contact
kevinadeckstudio@gmail.com
Kevinadeck.com
Facebook: @kevinadeck (Kevin A Deck Studio)
It took me months to muster the courage to tackle this painting after taking the photo in Annapolis, Maryland one spring. The deep blue figure walking away is reflected in the jewelry store windows along the street. My granddaughter saw it and said, "How did you mix that color, Papa?" referring to the transparent glass color I used for the display case. 🙂 While painting this piece, I got completely lost in shape, color, and shadow. There is a lot happening in the painting, but the pale greens serve to unify and organize the composition.
Artist Statement
It all begins with seeing and a deep desire for revelation, from my perspective and particular vantage point.
I paint what interests me. The things that jump out of the ordinary, the mundane, the default, the overlooked or forgotten. From a crack in the pavement to shadows from a tree striking a storefront, to fading light on a canal in Venice. I immerse myself in the lush shadows, the intense light, the reflections, shapes, and colors that, when mashed together, look like our world.
The majority of my current work is transparent watercolor with a mix of pen and ink washes. My figurative work includes natural and urban landscapes, regional subjects, and work inspired by travel. My abstracts spring from compositions found in my completed works or photography.
I am learning to crawl. But this is a joyful journey, rich in discovery and deeply satisfying.
Bio
From early childhood, I have been interested in making things. This love of craft and design has found expression in plein-air sketching, printmaking, graphic design, digital media, furniture making, music, architecture, and most recently in watercolor painting.
My work begins with a strong composition, followed by an accurate drawing. Next comes a detailed analysis of the subject and the development of an approach to the painting. Most paintings are inspired by travel photographs. I often paint full-frame and stay true to the original proportions and cropping I captured. Occasionally, I’ll crop a portion of a scene in the search for a more compelling composition.
By day, I’m an architect working in Roanoke, Virginia for a firm specializing in senior living design. I have been a lead design architect for most of my career and acknowledge the way this informs my approach, perspective, expression, and technique.
I have been influenced and inspired by the following artists and educators:
Edward Hopper, Flemish painters, Andrew Wythe, Richard Estes, Jim Dine, Charles Reid, Joni Pienkowski, Dean Mitchell, Andy Evansen, and the research and writing of Betty Edwards.
Education: Bachelor of Architecture, Virginia Tech, 1982
European Study Abroad, Virginia Tech, 1981
Licensed Architect, State of Virginia, 1986-current
Exhibits:
Juried into: Virginia Watercolor Society, 2020 Exhibition
Juried into: 2021 Transparent Watercolor Society of America 45th Annual Exhibition
Juried into: Virginia Watercolor Society, 2021 Exhibition
Representation:
Market Gallery, Roanoke, Virginia