tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post7201467000700316670..comments2024-03-26T16:11:44.515-04:00Comments on All Things Ruffnerian, a Design Blog and More: The Art of Kenton NelsonMark D. Ruffnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-88180807454290379742013-02-13T15:14:46.047-05:002013-02-13T15:14:46.047-05:00Stillness — I like that description of Nelson'...Stillness — I like that description of Nelson's work. Maybe that's why I like it so much, that time might be suspended.<br /><br />I look forward to seeing the artist of your choice!Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-85000548768944062592013-02-13T14:08:05.231-05:002013-02-13T14:08:05.231-05:00I'm late to the party as well, Mark. Thanks fo...I'm late to the party as well, Mark. Thanks for sharing the work of an artist I'd never heard of before. I love that you're doing more art posts lately. <br /><br />I'm working on a post for next week on the work of an artist who may impress you. Coincidence: slightly similar to Nelson's work though different in technique. <br /><br />P.S. I love the stillness of Nelson's work.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-64350654254298732282013-02-11T08:45:49.675-05:002013-02-11T08:45:49.675-05:00Dear Mark,
So sorry to have arrived late to the pa...Dear Mark,<br />So sorry to have arrived late to the party! I've been swamped at the bindery and am just now allowing myself some time to enjoy reading your always-fascinating posts!!! Thank you for introducing me to Kenton Nelson-- what interesting work. I agree with all of the comments above connecting Nelson to Hopper-- but there is also a feeling of California about these pictures, don't you think? Perhaps its the experience of living in the light there that has informed Nelson's palette and aesthetic... It reminds me of work by a Detroit artist, Stephen Magsig, who paints a small painting everyday as a part of his studio work-- he's one of the only full-time, non-academic studio painters I know. You might enjoy seeing his work: http://myartspage.blogspot.com/ I think you'll see that his work, like Nelson's, is deeply affected by a sense of place-- so interesting! Thanks so much for sharing Kenton Nelson's work with us.<br />Warm regards,<br />Erika<br />Parvum Opushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15464815622667738686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-34093023009955701032013-02-09T18:45:18.768-05:002013-02-09T18:45:18.768-05:00Hi, Loi - So many of my fellow bloggers are agreei...Hi, Loi - So many of my fellow bloggers are agreeing with my pick of the last painting, that I'm guessing it appeals on a deeper level of consciousness. Perhaps it is that it has a dream-like quality.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-27196569120254464662013-02-09T15:33:53.859-05:002013-02-09T15:33:53.859-05:00Hi, Mark - I definitely would have to agree: isola...Hi, Mark - I definitely would have to agree: isolation! As if the entire town had been abandoned. And some of his paintings are similar to Edward Hopper's pieces. I also love that last painting: wonderful architecture and such lighting / shadows.<br />Woodside Parkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13981644571968878448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-23702202225227635912013-02-09T13:45:47.786-05:002013-02-09T13:45:47.786-05:00Dear Kirk,
First, I hope you are okay and in no w...Dear Kirk,<br /><br />First, I hope you are okay and in no way inconvenienced.<br /><br />I often look at art from the perspective of whether or not I would want to live with it, and that last image passes the test. Perhaps it evokes a time and place in my own life. It speaks of a certain time of day and the passage of time, and I like that, though it might be melancholy. And I like its sense of order.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-14286288229123900712013-02-09T13:18:17.123-05:002013-02-09T13:18:17.123-05:00And apparently very prolific.And apparently very prolific.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-72507513813537379412013-02-09T02:54:45.200-05:002013-02-09T02:54:45.200-05:00Dear Mark,
Thanks to a little accident I experien...Dear Mark,<br /><br />Thanks to a little accident I experienced this week, I am way behind in my blog reading so here I am bringing up the rear with my comment.<br /><br />I never knew about Kenton Nelson before and I find that I really rather like his work. The fact that many of the paintings you have shown here are devoid of people (when you would normally expect them to be there) is intriguing. <br />But when you think about it, there are times when, for example, you are standing in a street, in a busy city, but for the briefest of moments you suddenly find that there is no one 'about'. You are the only person there - and then it all changes and people come round the corner, open doors, drive past etc. I think that many of Mr. Nelson's paintings seem to illustrate such moments. That is what makes them, as you say, cryptic.<br /><br />By the way, I'm with you because when I saw that last image I thought 'I like that'.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08642768891794895642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-83211470015134587182013-02-08T19:16:49.905-05:002013-02-08T19:16:49.905-05:00Definitely Grant Wood, and very neo-pop, a strange...Definitely Grant Wood, and very neo-pop, a strange marriage. He's very accomplished!Paul Gervais de Bédéehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14483589339393580019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-17329559504504566882013-02-08T09:42:40.076-05:002013-02-08T09:42:40.076-05:00Hello, smr - I've been trying to think of a be...Hello, smr - I've been trying to think of a better, more precise word than "mysterious" to describe Kenton Nelson's paintings and I think it is "cryptic."Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-69094461286939951192013-02-08T06:50:31.898-05:002013-02-08T06:50:31.898-05:00Enjoyed seeing Nelson's work , he makes inanim...Enjoyed seeing Nelson's work , he makes inanimate objects seem very sinister and the hands in the first painting are positively evil smrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-3830649963603888552013-02-06T18:44:45.961-05:002013-02-06T18:44:45.961-05:00Thanks for the extra pictures Mark - I like both o...Thanks for the extra pictures Mark - I like both of those. Nelson really has a unique touch and perspective.Rosemaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814070177137076757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-55331403840786273992013-02-06T17:24:24.007-05:002013-02-06T17:24:24.007-05:00Dear Rosemary - Nelson does indeed paint figures, ...Dear Rosemary - Nelson does indeed paint figures, though they tend to be cropped in a way that makes them mysterious, or in ordinary situations which still have an air of mystery. I've added to more images to the posting in response to your comment.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-85050202074144949762013-02-06T14:15:10.673-05:002013-02-06T14:15:10.673-05:00Dear Mark - thanks for the introduction to yet ano...Dear Mark - thanks for the introduction to yet another new artist. <br />I enjoy the way you have made the color palette showing the distinctive colours that Kenton Nelson uses.<br />To me there is a questioning element to his paintings. What is going on in the motorhome? Who is sitting on the tractor? Why is there no sign of life on or below the street bridge or in suburbia? Why is the cafe empty? The absence of humanity gives them a slightly sinister feeling, but I do like them and find them very interesting.Rosemaryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03814070177137076757noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-29568300105204793972013-02-06T12:14:54.690-05:002013-02-06T12:14:54.690-05:00Hello, Jim,
"On Providing Support" and ...Hello, Jim,<br /><br />"On Providing Support" and "Big Shoes" have a Pop Art quality, but when I look at the bridge paintings that you like, I see a lot of Grant Wood's influence, particularly in those stylized trees.<br /><br />I'm glad you like my work with Nelson's color palette. To reach it, I took a digital color sampling of the the two most prominent colors in each painting of a sampling of his work.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-36652211430249393612013-02-06T11:21:54.447-05:002013-02-06T11:21:54.447-05:00Hello Mark, I really like the tree-support picture...Hello Mark, I really like the tree-support picture, and the letter-slot one, but I think my favorites are those of the bridge. Nelson is another artist new to me, and your analysis of his color palette is very effective in helping us understand his work.Parnassushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08958901307538141468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-18391847203513481762013-02-06T09:25:53.377-05:002013-02-06T09:25:53.377-05:00Hello Jane and Lance:
I can see your perspective ...Hello Jane and Lance:<br /><br />I can see your perspective of "The Big Red Purse. In fact, as I look back over Nelson's work, I see a certain mysteriousness that could lend itself to the covers of mystery novels.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-58432194961875906822013-02-06T09:20:53.429-05:002013-02-06T09:20:53.429-05:00Columnist, as I look at that last painting, I can ...Columnist, as I look at that last painting, I can envision designing a very handsome room around it. This particular image reminds me more of the work of René Magritte, though.Mark D. Ruffnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09241533547309049140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-18914149277991752812013-02-06T08:31:35.270-05:002013-02-06T08:31:35.270-05:00Hello Mark:
We find these paintings by Kenton Nels...Hello Mark:<br />We find these paintings by Kenton Nelson most appealing. The hyper-realism does give them an 'other worldly' atmosphere and they are, as you say, reminiscent of and yet not exactly comparable with Pop Art images of many decades ago.The highly individual and restrictive colour palette does contribute to this feeling too.<br /><br />Our favourite is 'The Big Red Purse'. For us, it is filled with impending gloom, enhanced by those exceedingly sinister black gloves.Jane and Lance Hattatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16831890261259302647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-148647148793397155.post-22870653040839067542013-02-06T06:44:32.680-05:002013-02-06T06:44:32.680-05:00I immediately thought of Edward Hopper, and then a...I immediately thought of Edward Hopper, and then as I read through, I found your reference to him. I agree with you on your choice.columnisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03764365428633038329noreply@blogger.com