"Conversations In The Abstract #111" by Downs

36 x 36 inches, acrylic painting on canvas -- unframed

Downs is definitely a throwback in his overall view of painting. Now in his early 60’s he was very fortunate to have had mentors such as Karl Benjamin and Frederick Hammersley in the mid 80's. Being in the presence of such noted painters impressed on him the importance and responsibility of being true to one's own vision. "By speaking clearly in a non object idiom, the goal is to make art that reflects modern day life. My process consists of layering spontaneous random marks that are sometimes completely obscured. By working and reworking surfaces, I expose the varying depth of color which creates spaces that expand and contract, communicating the work's shifting moods.” 

The current series “Conversations In The Abstract”, arose from a stroke Downs experienced in 2015. Downs’ perception of life as an artist changed. The stroke brought on strange and unusual conversations in his mind, which he can only describe as abstract. The task as he sees it is to translate these thoughts into painting, to convey the aesthetics of his experiences in a positive manner. These visual conversations scream out a sense of risky adventure, a collision of shapes and colours which create the surface tension essential to animating his abstracts, creating a visual debate. The strength in these works is in the artist's understanding of color, balance and simplicity. In his previous body of work, "Manhattan Series", Downs recalls when he first moved to New York in the mid 70's. Emotions of the average person were on a much more intense level as far as fear, crime and the overall lack of beauty in the city. For Downs, this was an opportunity to experience firsthand the gritty and raw energy to be used in his paintings to come. This body of work is his attempt to recreate the tension, movement and color of that era. 

Downs has been painting professionally for over 40 years and has exhibited nationally and internationally. His work has been included in group shows with noted artists such as Andre Miripolsky, Mark Mothersbaugh and Karl Benjamin. Downs' works are included in private collections throughout the world.

If interested in individual works from this collection please send email to order@shopbaiaonline.com.

When will my order ship ?

Please see each individual item page for more information on the availability of each item. Also please make sure your shipping address information is complete and accurate with your first and last name, full address, unit, suite or apartment number, valid phone number and email address.  Shipments can only be sent to an actual street address.  There are NO DELIVERIES to post office boxes. Please note that we will not ship your order until we've received payment from you. You will receive a shipment confirmation when your order has shipped with the tracking details. Upon the delivery of your shipment, a signature is requested.

Do you ship internationally?

Please give us a call at +1 404-565.1493 (USA) to process international shipments. When will my order ship and what are my shipping charges? Shipping and handling are automatically calculated prior to submitting your payment information.

If you require special shipping arrangements please email us at: info@baiaonline.com or call us at + 1 404-565-1493 (USA). After payments are processed, all orders are fulfilled. Orders are shipped via UPS Ground or FedEx and the generally expected delivery time is within 2-8 business days, depending on the state being shipped to. For Garden Art For The Soul™, shipments are shipped weekly Monday through Friday.