Galleries : Randy Coleman at Cousen Rose
Randy Coleman, whose show of paintings opens this Saturday at Cousen Rose Gallery in Oak Bluffs, retired from his telecommunications law practice in Washington, D.C., where he also worked as a lobbyist, in order to devote himself to painting. "I have always liked to draw," he said as we stood next to his colorful abstract canvases at the Cousen Rose Gallery.
"My drawings were always in black and white and I wanted to pursue the use of color," Mr. Coleman said. "So I took classes over a four-year period at the Corcoran College of Art and Design. In art school I just gravitated to what I do now."
What he does now is create colorful geometric paintings in acrylics on canvas. Some of his newer work is multimedia with the addition of sand to add dimension. His art incorporates a playful use of color and transparency and depth that prompts the reader to wonder, "what's going on here."
With a relaxed presence, Mr. Coleman talked very matter of factly about his art. His descriptions, simple and unconflicted, revealed his excitement as he explained how he incorporates new shapes and colors in some of his work. He has vacationed on the Vineyard for several years, but this is his first Island show.
"While some aspects of my law practice allowed for creative thought, I didn't relish the adversarial elements," Mr. Coleman writes in his artist statement. "Painting, in contrast, is freeing. I feel in control of my environment - free to play with color, form and line. I can paint for hours with no pressure, no rigidity, and no conflict. I like to experiment with depth, color, transparency and opaqueness. Life is complicated and, in a very abstract sense, I am reflecting on all the intricacies of interrelationships, problems, confrontations - the components of everyday existence."
Randy Coleman, Cousen Rose Gallery, Oak Bluffs. Reception, Saturday, August 1, 7 to 9 pm. Show runs through August 8. Dolls by Janice Frame will also be on display. 508-693-6656
