Available From My Studio

The Wave Series, A Breakthrough in Color Theory

The Wave Series consists of sixteen pastel drawings that embody a fundamental advancement in the understanding of color and light theory. This work goes far beyond classical art’s brown and black shadow approaches, as well as beyond Impressionism’s brilliant recordings of daylight effects through direct perception. The Impressionists like Monet and van Gogh observed the unique colors of daylight through direct perception, but as far as I know, they did not formalize these observations into a color theory of optics. There are four main properties of visual color perception: the color complements of light and shadow, the color complements of depth and foreground, the color of atmosphere, and the color of things. By integrating these elements into a coherent, actionable artists’ color theory, it furthers our understanding of visual perception, both as artists and viewers. Each of the Wave Series pastels is a variation on what happens when the variables change, like how a backlit orange sky in far depth will affect every other element in a composition. My color theory explains how that works, from the root causes to furthest applications. This reshapes how we see, understand, and paint the world around us; consequently, it does the same for you, the audience.

This series takes the best of art and vision science and integrates them to take humanity to the next level in understanding our perception. It will challenge artists and viewers to reconsider how color functions in relation to light, shadow, atmosphere, and spatial depth. The Wave Series stands as a milestone in art’s evolution. If the greatest eras of art are marked by advancements in light and color, this is a pretty big deal.

Because of its scale, coherence, and rigor, the Wave Series needs a collector who understands its significance. This is a legacy work that requires a steward committed to preserving and championing an art historical breakthrough.

Thank you for your interest,
Michael Newberry