Free Showing of Design Engineer Turned Artist at Rockwell Gallery

Rockwell Art Galleries of Ridgefield presents Delineation featuring paintings and drawings by Mt. Kisco artist John Plunkett, who earned a degree in mechanical and electrical drafting before pursuing his BFA in fine arts and illustration at the School of Visual Arts in New York City and his MFA in painting and sculpture at the Rhode Island School of Design.

Plunkett’s work has been greatly influenced by Frank Stella, Elizabeth Murray, and Thomas Nozkowski. The flow of color and line contrary to open spaces creates an abstraction that merges a draftsman’s design with an artist’s creativity.

“Their use of organic shapes and color layered upon one another to create a visual landscape changed how we view contemporary painting,” Plunkett said.

The public is invited to an opening reception on Friday, Aug. 22 from 5-7 p.m. The show runs from Aug. 22 through Oct. 18.

In his series Mechanical Drawing and Paint, Plunkett starts by laying down straight and curved lines with mechanical drawing tools and graphite. He uses French curves and triangles to create beautiful bending curves and short and long straight lines that interlock, crossing over one another, to create bold shapes on a white background. The interlocking lines create an abstraction of architectural images of modern machines, buildings, landscapes, and dividing lines of property. Next he surveys the drawing and starts filling in color within the shapes or borders.

“Paint fills the spaces creating pools of color,” he said. “The paint appears to be pouring out of holes, twisting, twirling and floating, like rivers or oceans of color. Free to travel but restricted by the graphite borders — as is all things in nature.”

Plunkett has exhibited extensively throughout Westchester County and New York City. He is also an accomplished landscape artist and internationally renowned for his images of Vietnam.

Also on display: Malu Tan – Aug. 22nd through Sept. 14. The event is free and open to the public. Rockwell Art and Framing of Ridgefield is located at 470 Main Street, Ridgefield.

Based off a release from Rockwell Art Galleries.