The Tang Art Gallery at Skidmore College in Saratoga, NY was an interesting experience. Fred Tomaselli is an extremely talented and unique artist. His paintings were so exquisite in detail up close and trippy when viewed from farther away.Surprisingly, they also didn't give my hungover ass a headache either. His canvas paintings use actual pharmaceuticals, leaves, twigs, and other objects that make each and every painting stand out. The gallery offered a nice environment to showcase Tomaselli's paintings as well. I don't know what it was about that day either. Maybe because it was the first warm day we saw all winter or Tomaselli's paintings actually had an effect on me. Whatever it was I came out of the exhibit feeling positive and great, ready to conquer another Saturday night.
My favorite Tomaselli works include "Field Guides" (2003), "Avian Flower Serpent" (2006), and "Ocotillio Nocturne" (1993). Each painting has an array of colors, that drive both your emotions and senses. Fred Tomaselli's works are very good and I would definitely go view them again.
While in the gallery, I stumbled across a book about Tomaselli's. On one of the pages was an interview with the painter and he revealed the secret to his approach to art. He stated, "The notion of transubstantiation is really important to my approach to materials. The idea of taking a piece of bread and turning it into the body of Jesus is so crazy - even crazier than DuChamp turning a urinal into art! Of course, all artists engage in a transformative process: you squeeze paint out of tube, mix it up, slap it down and it becomes art. I suppose you can call it magic, alchemy, or transubstantiation.
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