BARRY RAFUSE SFCA SCA

I have gone from creating realistic landscapes, seascapes and florals to painting very unrealistic abstracts. It has been an expressional journey. Abstract painting is not an easy task and it is always challenging. I strove to paint something “different” — something colourful, bold and thought provoking. I like to leave the viewer thinking about the painting’s story. Abstraction encourages imagination.

Nature’s never ending designs attract me. Cloud formations, water reflections, rock textures and magnified foliage, erosion and snow patterns all catch my attention. These unique designs are forever changing. My paintings reflect what I see and feel.

I avoid predictable compositions. Rarely do I have a preconceived idea or a desired and result when I commence a painting. I trust the direction my intuitive brushstrokes take and I go with my instinctive colour choices. I listen to what the painting wants to become, and eventually, despite there being many challenges, I will be rewarded by the evolved piece.

I prefer using large brushes and large surfaces to avoid detail. I strive for an energetic look by using mixed media and working quickly. If a painting becomes too realistic or recognizable, I take it back to abstraction.

Abstraction is not well understood nor easily accepted. I want my paintings to help change that perception.

www.barryrafuse.com