Warren Kessler2016
The paintings in this exhibit are painted in the style of trompe l’oeil (French for to fool the eye.) I view this style of painting as an illusion. It is my attempt to represent three dimensional objects on a two dimensional plane. To convince the viewer the objects they are looking at are the actual objects, not a painted representation. I want to grab the viewers’ attention from across the room and have the illusion hold up until they are just inches from the painting.
I enjoy the many different concepts I am able to explore when painting trompe l’oeil. It can vary from whimsical, historical, to personal. This style of painting allows me a creative voice I haven’t found in other styles of painting. I get to build the stage for the painting, selecting the subjects, colors, and textures to tell a story.
Each painting is a visual compilation of thousands of thoughts by the artist; each object is there for a reason and each brush mark is a record of a deliberate decision.
I hope the paintings draw the viewer into an invented realm that connects with their imaginations and allows them to interact with it on a personal level.
-Warren W. Kessler