Experimentation drives my practice of making art. I’m fascinated about how things go together: color, texture, geometrics, found objects and new materials. And so, I find myself in the arena of innovation, and this leads to invention. Invention takes me into the unknown, and the unknown places me squarely in the unavoidable spotlight of risk. And that’s where I have the most fun and experience the greatest challenges while exploring the human condition.
I am also influenced by the artists who have come before me. I consider the history of art to be a remarkable and exciting record of progress. A record filled with insights and experiences delivered in a language we each have to decode as we deal with solving the challenges of being creative. All of my work embodies this decoding and informs how I resolve my dreams and ideas into art.
I continually work on a number of series, each new piece affecting and influencing the work that surrounds it. It’s impossible for me to avoid the migration of ideas and images that flow among my paintings, printmaking efforts and sculpted pieces. The power of the horizon line; the beauty of architectural dimensions; the surprise of a textured surface; the intriguing angles of geometry and the human form; the unavoidable attraction of a found object---each an integral part of my ever-growing arsenal.
A great painter once taught me not to be afraid of my imagination, and I thank him for that. He also exemplified the trait of generosity, a trait I admire and practice to this day: being generous to my students and mentees as they develop their careers; being responsive to charitable requests; and being an influence and a catalyst within my community.
Robert Quackenbush
2016