While browsing through the New American Painters website, I came across the featured artist John Dilg, a painter from the Midwest. I love seeing symbols of nature in art, so I was immediately drawn to his work.
Information and Accomplishments:
He received his BFA from RISD in 1969, and later attended Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi, India
Yaddo Artist Residency in 1973
Taught at University of Iowa's School of Art and Art History for over 40 years
Many many solo and group shows spanning from around 1980 to 2018
Has work in Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and the Saint Louis Art Museum
Looking at Dilg's work, the unique textures and linework stood out to me. I like the ideas of collective memory and questioning the place of nature in modern society that he includes in his artist statement, and I think his work conveys these ideas really well. I would love to learn more about his process, as I've never seen oil paint used to create these kinds of textures before.
One of my favorite pieces is I Felt So Symbolic Yesterday. I think the colors, faded lines, and organic textures, as well as the title of this piece bring his ideas to life. It feels a little prehistoric too, which emphasizes the idea of human connection to nature even more.
Another one of my favorites is Strangers. I like how the figures in the foreground mimic and reflect the mountains, and the bold but faded lines make the piece more interesting, especially in the mountains. I also love his color gradients in this piece. His use of silhouettes instead of detailed figures in these pieces both furthers the emphasis on nature and ties into the idea of collective memory, showing that any individual can have these experiences.
I'm glad I found John Dilg because I really love his work! He's inspiring me to continue incorporating nature into my upcoming projects.
How does he create that weird texture? Love it!