The unpredictable nature of water media fused with powerful design principles will be featured at the Beréskin Fine Art Gallery & Studio during the month of July, with an exhibit of local artist Robert Zeidler's transparent watercolor paintings. Bob has worked in the graphic arts field and advertising for over 40 years and you can definitely see the influence in his paintings. Because of that background, his style translates well into the transparent watercolor medium, with emphasis on simplified, bold, colorful shapes.
As an example, he chooses one painting in the collection to showcase his process. Included are a black & white compositional sketch, a quick gestural thumbnail, several "warm-up" paintings, and then the finished piece where it all comes together in a semi-abstract style. It's interesting to understand his methodology and how he manages to "loosen up before the performance" as he puts it.
About his color choices, Zeidler says, "I don't really think about it much." Interesting, since they are unusual and hard to describe. He goes on, "If my composition is strong and the values are arranged correctly, I can use about any color I want. Sometimes I use only two colors; other times I use them all. That's half the fun of watercolor. Since the paint is fluid, it creates new colors on its own; colors that I could never mix or even imagine left to my own devices. This helps keep the painting fresh and interesting, as well as allowing the viewer to see something new each time."
Robert Zeidler lives in Davenport, Iowa, and is a signature member of the Iowa Watercolor Society. He's had paintings accepted in national juried competitions, and received many awards.
The Beréskin Fine Art Gallery & Studio is located in the Bucktown Center for the Arts, 225 East 2nd Street, Suite 104, in Davenport, Iowa, and is open Wednesday through Saturday, from 11am to 6 pm; open until 9 pm every Final Friday. For additional information contact Gallery Director Pat Bereskin, bereskinartgallery@gmail.com or at www.bereskinartgallery.com
