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James Hayward Scot Heywood John McLaughlin
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Three Abstract Painters |
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February 12-March 12, 2011 |
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click here for exhibition artwork |
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Opening Reception: Saturday, February 12, 2011, 5:00 to 7:00pm
For the second exhibit of 2011, the Frank Lloyd Gallery presents a three person show of abstract painting. The exhibition focuses on the planes and surfaces of geometric abstraction in the work of John McLaughlin, James Hayward, and Scot Heywood. By including the influential work of John McLaughlin, the late and revered master of abstract classicism, this show demonstrates part of the evolution of abstract painting in Southern California.
As Susan C. Larsen wrote in her essay for the retrospective, "John McLaughlin's work has inspired two generations of artists, critics and curators to probe the silent, obdurate depths of a body of work created to beguile and challenge the viewer." Seminal to the development of painting on the West Coast, McLaughlin was included in "Four Abstract Classicists," an exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1959, conceived by Peter Selz and assembled by Jules Langsner. This highly influential show marks a turning point in identifying a movement that is also referred to as hard edge painting.
The large-scale abstract paintings of James Hayward have been described by the critic Dave Hickey as "stepping into liquid." Hayward's monochromatic canvases display the fluid and malleable properties of oil paint, and present a rich, undulating yet unified field. Hayward's work has been exhibited extensively throughout the U.S. James Hayward was born in San Francisco in 1943. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts at San Diego State, and then studied at UCLA and the University of Washington, where he received his M.F.A in 1972.
Scot Heywood's new paintings focus on geometric planes of color and the interaction of refined surface techniques. In the evolution of abstract painting and sculpture, the use of geometric form with a limited palette is widespread, ranging from the Russian Suprematist compositions to minimal paintings. Scot Heywood's paintings relate directly to hard edge abstraction, as well as its origins in works by artists such as Kasimir Malevich and Piet Mondrian. Heywood's exquisite attention to detail and presentation are evident in the careful placement of individual panels, as well as the refined diagonal layering of paint.
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