March 28, 2009 Professor Farrell

MARCH 28, 2009, PROFESSOR MICHAEL FARRELL

A painter, his subject was "From Realism to Abstraction (and back again)".

25+ members attended - this was an exceptional afternoon!!

And you can click for the writeup that has been posted in preparation for this presentation.  

 Edgar Degas once related about his relationship to art, "I have spent my life in trying-out. Fortunately, I never found my manner."  Montgomery College Professor Michael Farrell exhibits Degas perception but argues, "I'm still seeking." And seeking is what he demonstrated at SAA's March 28th meeting and discussion.  Michael, brought up in NYC with two loving parents, became infatuated with art in high school, later in college. Although he majored in economics, he enrolled in art courses, especially 19th and 20th century modern art, to satisfy his need for expression and the knowledge which comes from related art history books.  By way of his father, an accountant who was financial manager at the American Museum of Modern Art, he had unique access to our modern art and some of the living artists of our time. 

Michael demonstrated to us that he is infatuated with landscapes, which he drew with outstanding graphic exactitude, true colors, and of "photographic" quality. (See example below).  While studying for his M.S.A., Michael's instructors and critics were not excited about his art, in fact they discounted it as being too simplistic, exacting, non-abstract, having no "inner meaning."  Still trying to "find his manner" Michael painted still life images, though these still did not provide his critics with satisfaction. 

Michael likes to quote artist Fairfield Porter, "As the wholeness of life eludes control, so the wholeness of art eludes the control of the artist.  The realist thinks he knows ahead of time what reality is, and the abstract  

artist what art is, but it is in the formality that realist art excels, and the best abstract art communicates an overwhelming sense of reality."  Hence, Michael was caught between the two; he knew that it was time for his process of discovery to begin anew.  Michael continued to be influenced by landscapes but painted in an abstract surreal way, offering simplicity and subdued texture to communicate beauty and meaning to the viewer.

He is an advocate of Diebenkorn Thiebaud in that one must, "explore the duality of perceptual and conceptual information" in his art.

 

Today Michael continues experimenting, learning about the unique qualities of painting, for example, on plastic Mylar. In addition, he's experimenting with cardboard rubbings.  These offer him a new approach, dimension, depth to the manner of his art.  He quotes John Berger from Ways of Seeing, "The world is full of information, but paintings are silent and still.  They exist in a different kind of time."  Hence, Michael pointed out that not only the artist but the viewer must put his or her own voice into the painting.

Michael loves light, its colors, its' tones.  He loves to look at and consider the beauty of landscapes, yet has learned to understand the abstraction hidden within. He loves the exactitude of photographs, but has learned to train his visual memory to look deeper into reality.  He loves to concentrate on the excitement of one form or technique of painting. However, he realizes that to maintain his yearning for growth, the new and different, that change is necessary.  Michael keeps learning techniques; his artistic perception does change and mature as he matures.  Michael is excited about what he does.  His outlook is fresh, airy and truthful to his inner desire of searching for his manner.  Professor Farrell is truly a positive example of a work in progress.

            Contributors, Arlene Polangin and August Spector