Erik Barthels

Region: South

I create vivid abstractions that harness the power of chance to explore color and form. I’m interested in making loosely sequential images that echo the disjointed and time-specific color palettes of cultural ephemera and nostalgia. The geometrically painted images yield variations that juxtapose considered and spontaneous mark making. Collage elements supplant the subtle nuances of paint with hard edged geometries. The accumulative hypnotic effect of the paintings is offset by textural variation that adds a weathered, impulsive energy.