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| EXHIBITS |
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Edward
Burke's
paintings evolve from three sources: direct observation of the external world, the mind's eye, and his id-subconscious. Direct observation is the most easily understood and forms
the basis for most representational art. The mindŐs eye is the store of observed images which each of us collects
throughout our lives. Works using this source will have recognizable images or symbols but will distort and manipulate them into new visual experiences. Finally, paintings from the id strive to completely shut down the
first two sources and rely totally on the stimuli from the subconscious coupled to an aesthetic reaction to the marks and forms accumulating on the canvas. This source generates visceral and spontaneous abstract paintings that grow organically with little reference to the external
world — either observed or remembered. In
2007 Mr. Edward
A. Burke
completed a series of paintings "Early Spring" which embodies creating from these
three sources. Although Mr. Burke
did not start out to paint a series, as the work progressed he began to see that the works were forming a
narrative of how I think and create. These works range from representational to abstract. The ends of this range are theoretical and not so neatly
defined. It is clear that representational
paintings
are in some ways abstract as they represent a three-dimensional world on a two
dimensional surface utilizing a myriad of personal choices that drive
the creation of the work.
Many of these choices are driven by the artist's subconscious even when working from direct observation. Likewise works derived primarily from
the subconscious are influenced by the artistŐs internal collection of images and responses to the real world. A
majority of artists OR abstract-painters OR Expressionists-artist OR Landscape-artist OR Still-Life-artist find their voice by working across
this range and eventually settle on a narrow segment to produce their
main body of work. The creative process for Ed Burke has not and possibly never will settle down to a small
segment of this range. He draws from combinations of direct observations, the minds eye and the id producing works that fall across a wide range from representational to abstract. The resulting works are bound together by his language:
that of brush and color. Edward
A. Burke Artist-Statement 02/24/2008
"Born
in Brooklyn, NY, 1945 he established a reputation as a representational and abstract-painter in the 1980's, particularly
regionalist landscapes represented in his series
"Reflective Still Water" in and around northern Westchester NY, Croton-on-Hudson, Peekskill, Hudson
Valley Region and New York. He
was raised in Brooklyn, attended The High School of Art & Design
in Manhattan and graduated in 1964. He continued his art education at
the School of Visual Arts while working as a full time commercial artist
in small advertising agencies around New York City. His serious
pursuit of painting began in 1970. Simultaneously he was also developing
his career as a graphic
artist/ book designer/ art
director for educational publishers. Edward
Burke's fine art paintings are well represented in private collections
and in corporate commissions, as well as publications.
His three
major bodies of work: Reflective Still Water 1982-1985 this period of work
began as small representational landscape paintings of the shorelines of ponds,
using oils on watercolor paper. The work progressed to
large-scale impressionistic paintings capturing tranquil energy
of textures and movements of the water as air passes
over the surface. Expressions from the Id 1983-1992 are a purely subconscious
process. An initial brushstroke or color shape is the geniuses, then
an intuitive response to that action begins. The content and composition
begin to grow as the painting takes on a life of its own. It is purely
an instinctive drive, response after response, until the work is completed.
The Studio1995 - 2005 is a body of paintings including several
still-life subjects and room interior motifs. The viewer is able to
observe solid objects along with lines and forms of other objects that
are normally obscured from view. These intersecting lines and forms,
along with the use of abstract color, provide another level of composition.
These paintings are about his Mt. Airy studio in Croton New York. Teaching
Westchester Community College (Peekskill Arts Workshop)
Exhibits
Group
Show, Landscape
- A Sense of Place, Gallery 25N, NY Painting
Philosophy:
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