elegance, Kim Stratford translates the world of ideas
and objects into a display of raw color, texture, and
white, and black color fields, combine a balanced internal
structure with passionate sensuality.
ously playful and controlled. The zigzagging outline of
geometric shapes gives the works a visually pleasing lively
rhythm. At the same time, nothing in these paintings is left
to chance.
continues an important tradition that characterized much
of modern art in the 20
symmetry and balance. Yet, it is through the artist's use of
detail that these works truly come alive.
a complicated web of shapes and textures. By varying the
depth and width of brushstrokes and smudges, the artist is
able to emphasize the physicality of the paint. Thus, instead
of discerning an object
and its background,
the eye of the viewer
is left to wander across
a patchwork of equally
significant fields.
the structural elements
like color and texture
into the center of her
painterly explorations. On her canvases, texture is no
longer a means of depicting a subject, but has become the
subject itself. The amount of incident built into its many
layers makes the texture of her works both revelatory
and intense. The color scheme helps give these paintings
an expressive dimension. Comprised of earthy tones,
Stratford's palette serves as a universal conduit for emo-
tion. Here, instead of unsettling the viewer, the network of
colors provides a haven of tranquility and self-inquiry.
her formal art education, she has expanded her skill
set to include textile design, sculpture, silversmithing,
and jewelry design. Stratford's paintings and sculptures
have become a part of many private and corporate col-
lections, and in the past year have been exhibited in
Arizona, Los Angeles and New York City. The wide
acclaim of her works also propelled her to be chosen to
represent United States in the 2005 Florence Biennale.
-Sasha Vasilyuk