Golden aspen leaves fluttering in the wind. Water flowing across a granite rock bed. A crystal clear mountain lake reflecting a pure blue sky. The moment of totality during a solar eclipse. Refining these moments in nature down to their core, artist Sarah Winkler then amplifies them in her bold abstract paintings.
Winkler’s process begins with what she describes as “disposable experiments.” Ink and acrylic are manipulated on Mylar and Duralar surfaces with alcohol and solvents to simulate the natural patterns she observes in the environment. She pushes her medium to the limit, translating the spontaneity of paint into the processes and effects of erosion, accretion and reflection. These patterns are then scanned into the computer and printed as special paper, which she collages on small panels to build the composition. Once the landscape’s design is finalized, she draws it onto large-scale wood panels and hand paints each section individually.
The Western landscape and its grand vistas of mountains, mesas, and rock formations serve as her primary content, but she also looks further afield to European environments. Current work explores the landscapes of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Italy and Iceland.
Nestled in a stunning mountain valley near Morrison, CO, Winkler’s home studio overlooks the same grand vistas that inspire her work. An avid hiker, she exhibits throughout the Western United States. Her July 2018 solo exhibition at K Contemporary in Denver will feature her Great American Solar Eclipse paintings in three stages- first contact, totality, and third contact. For more information, visit sarahwinkler.com.
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Julia Rymer is an abstract painter and writer based in Colorado, where she creates work inspired by nature, science, and color theory. Learn more at juliarymer.com.
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