Wave Lengths 

Editor: This is "Wave Lengths" by Jeff Jamison, made using acrylic. It’s so evocative! The blurry forms make me think of memories or dreams of figures in an outdoor setting. What formal qualities strike you in this work? Curator: It is immediately striking how the artist uses impasto to create texture. Notice the application of the acrylic-paint; thick and almost sculptural. Consider also how the structure and the colour palette work together, to what effect, would you say? Editor: Well, the hues feel dreamlike, almost surreal. And it also reminds me of plein-air landscapes. Curator: Indeed, the landscape composition is evident even as it verges on abstraction, creating a very interesting formal tension. The wave like effect and the softness that it gives the forms is so intruiging. Do you notice any other contrasts between representation and abstraction? Editor: I do see a stark difference between the shapes making up the bodies and the vague surrounding forms. Curator: Precisely. Now, think about the painting’s construction; how the balance of abstract forms and representational figuration contribute to your reading. Editor: This balance is definitely key! Looking at the piece now, I see the beauty of that interplay much clearer. I can feel both the setting and a sense of the abstract! Curator: An interesting point to arrive at. Through line, shape, and color, a new way to observe both our impressions and the painter's intentions comes into view.