Paintings Exhibitions Artist's Statement Exhibition Video Slideshow Sculpture Drawings
Robert Putnam
[email protected]
http://www.geocities.com/putnamrug/
Painting:
I work with color, form and texture, sometimes from nature, sometimes from
memory and sometimes from imagination, following process, until I discover
something that is exciting, something that resonates in the human psyche, that
speaks to a vision buried deep in the unconscious. I believe that the
mystery of the world is in the visible. For focus, I look to aerial views
of fields, archeological excavations, burnt buildings, buried cities, to the
light filtered through cathedral stained glass, color patches floating in
infinite space, reflected light. I create from images in the imagination,
perhaps archetypical, and from observation of nature filtered through emotion
and feeling, layering color until I achieve the vision that inspired the painting.
Sculpture:
My sculpture work is abstract. I consider my work to be in the modernist
tradition, perhaps moving beyond post modernism to a neo modernism. I am a
student of Julio Gonzalez, David Smith, Jose De Rivera and Eve Hesse, among
others. I work with form and surface, a surface weathered, pitted, and abused
to birth a new thing. Something that, with luck, has secrets no looking may
uncover. My sculpture is created mainly from found, discarded materials, such
as small pieces of rusted, corroded, abused sheet metal, steel or aluminum
plate; rusted tin; metal fragments; or wire. Weathered wood, stone, glass,
leather, bamboo, rolled paper, string, rope fibers are also used. These various
elements are assembled together to create a sculptural piece which, once the
elements are roughly in place, can be further worked on, bending, reshaping,
abusing, and polishing as appropriate. My pieces are small, suitable for home
display. Some more simple pieces are configured as maquettes so that they could
be fabricated for larger outdoor display.
Drawing: I
draw lines with either ink or pencil. Color may be added to highlight key
areas. My drawings create whimsical, surreal worlds far removed from everyday
reality. They are playful, fanciful, and sometimes idyllic and bucolic. I also
sometimes work with prehistoric and Neolithic images, signs, and symbols of the
mysteries of divinity, animals, nature, and ritual; touching the mystery of
birth and death.
Art Training: I have
had college courses in engineering drafting, geometrical construction, drawing
and sketching, acrylic painting, and oil painting. I have had some 30 years
experience in developing and finishing technical illustration for textbooks,
training manuals, and operational manuals. I managed the editorial and art
departments for a major technical publisher. Education: BA
Professional Experience: Worked in
technical publishing, technical writing and editing, and training development. As
Vice President of American Technical Publishing ran the editorial and art departments.
As a freelance consultant have written and illustrated hundreds of training and
operational manuals for heavy industry (papermaking), manufacturing, railroad
bridge maintenance, rigging, electrical power grids, site maintenance, and
safety. Have written nine textbooks in the areas of building technology,
carpentry, bricklaying, welding, and blueprint reading.
Memberships:
Permanent Museum Collection:
Norris Cultural Arts Center,
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website and all images are wholly owned by Robert Putnam.
Copyright
2008 Robert Putnam. All rights reserved.