Robert Grimes -"The Carved Line"

August 14, 2009 - September 5, 2009

The Art Spirit Gallery is proud to host a solo exhibition of new work by Robert Grimes.  He is producing extraordinary artwork unlike any we have seen.  This new body of work explores the engraved line and oil paint on birch plywood.  In addition there will be constructed and carved wood relief sculptures, relief castings, monotypes and oil paintings on canvas. Robert lives in Spokane and has shown exclusively with The Art Spirit Gallery for 11 years. 

Please join us for the opening reception.  This will be a great opportunity to meet one of the most innovative artists in the Northwest and learn more about his latest work. 

This show is generously sponsored by Art Elliott of Shelter Associates Inc., Mike Patano of Patano Architects and Rich McKernan of Century 21 Beutler & Associates--Commercial.  We thank them for their continued support of the arts in our region.

Artist Statement

To carve a line into wood suggests a commitment to permanence. Ink drawings present the same challenge to complete the work without erasure. Most of my investigations start with a promising drawing. The same line structure is cut into a wood panel and painted over in oil. A notable richness of texture and form occurs when the process is repeated with another drawing superimposed on the former additions. This becomes an unpredictable playground of endless discovery. The love of the media keeps on giving. My work space becomes chaotic with these line combinations--a plexus of at least two structured drawings colliding, obfuscating and mutating the other.  My “game” is to find a new structure that is unpredictable...not predetermined.  

In the 60’s a popular phrase was: “it has a life of its own”, referring to abstract art of the times, i.e. impressive original work without describing objects or scenes outside of the picture plane. Thisto me implies a creation or installation of something we might call spiritual. I believe this coveted achievement is the creative act itself. It has been said, people climb mountains because they are there.  People create art because it is not there? Self expression bringing new forms into existence becomes its own meaning. -Robert Grimes