Dean Fisher Solo Show at The Figure Ground Gallery
Grand Opening of a New Figurative Art Gallery
Dean Fisher Solo Show
Figure Ground Gallery
July 1 - 31
122 South Jackson Street, Suite 250
Seattle, WA 98104
My dear friend Brett Holverstott just opened the Figure Ground Gallery in the heart of Seattle. The first show is devoted to Dean Fisher's figure and representational art.
Fisher works primarily through live direct perception, and he creates powerful gestures of strong colors and a surprising amount of subtle nuances. By working live, he transmits an extraordinary level of visual insights that only an exceptional artist would see. The value to us is that Fisher gently guides us on how to truly see. One of the hallmarks of great art.
In Figure Arrangement notice how the shadows move from the foreground to the background. For instance the extremely dark black-rust of the front figure's hair to the beige-gray shadow of the further figure. It is as if there is a screen of atmosphere dividing the two figures. One key to understanding these visuals is that every mark is placed in space. Notice how the contour lines ebb and flow in tone and hue as they flow through the painting's space.
Another fascinating element to this painting and his work in general are the edges. They are most definitely not cookie-cutter-outlines. This is a powerful statement of exceptionally careful observation from real life. It is like the difference between a geologist and a tourist observing rock formations. Notice that the edges range from almost nonexistent to brutally marked. An observer might say that the edges look unfinished, yet they would be in error, from the sense that they have probably never looked so closely at life. This painting is a master class in how objects, air, and ground meet each other. Some with a handshake, some with a nod, others with a punch, and others still with a slashing sword.
This show offers everyone a chance to see through an authentic artist's eyes. I hope I have given you a couple of things to look for, but I strongly recommend letting the art itself guide you. Your eyes and awareness with thank you.
Michael Newberry, Idyllwild, 7/8/2021
P.S. I will be having a solo show, The Wave Series, also at Figure Ground Gallery with the opening on September 2nd.