Abstracted for Life: December 2011

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Matthew Dibble - Parking Lot (2011)

Parking Lot (2011)
Mixed technique - 60"x50"

Here is another favorite piece from Matthew Dibble's abstract painting series Middle is Everywhere, this one entitled Parking Lot. Dibble's technique so expertly evokes a sense of space and depth, borrowing bits of technique and insight of those who preceded him, yet completely takes the medium to a whole different level. As I study the paintings from this collection, I allow myself to become drawn into the whole, still fully aware of the intricate detail that Dibble has presented which provides this passage.

As the artist himself says:

My wish is to live in the real world. I have a natural curiosity about my place on earth and a thirst for sincerity in all forms. These paintings are a glimpse into what happens when this very active inner life and the outer world come in contact.

I tried to work on these new paintings with “feeling” in my whole body. I’m not quite as interested in brushing the paint on, but pushing the paint around.

A reminder: if you want to learn more about Matthew Dibble, please check out his website to learn more about him. In the meantime, keep an eye on this blog for more posts and thoughts on Dibble's work.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Matthew Dibble - Quarrel (2011)

Quarrel (2011)
Oil and newsprint on canvas - 72"x90"

I'm departing from precedent and beginning a series on modern abstract artists I've had the pleasure of finding in my travels on the internet, beginning with Matthew Dibble, a general contractor from Cleveland, Ohio. Dibble also happens to be a trained artist, having studied at the Cooper School of Art in the mid-1970's, and has been actively painting for over twenty years.

I first saw Dibble's work on the Abstract Expressionist group on Facebook and I was immediately blow away by his free use of color, the structure amid the seeming chaos and the near infinite layers of meaning in his design. Each piece that he painted and displayed from his current collection entitled Middle is Everywhere seemed to continue where the previous piece left off, as a new chapter in a deeply complex novel. Quarrel is just one example from this outstanding series.

While it may be seem to be a significant contrast between Dibble, the roofing contractor, with Dibble the abstract artist, Matthew's own words may explain how interrelated these two sides of him are:

My wish is to live in the real world. I have a natural curiosity about my place on earth and a thirst for sincerity in all forms. These paintings are a glimpse into what happens when this very active inner life and the outer world come in contact.

In this series, I’m trying to approach the work as a tradesman approaches his job, in a very ordinary way, with a watchful attention and a certain confidence that comes from experience while at the same time searching for something new.

If you want to learn more about Matthew Dibble, please check out his website and take note of artist statement page. Meanwhile, please stay tuned as I will posting other works of his in the coming weeks.