Beyond the Canvas

When you think of color, you probably think of paint. But color is all around us. Many contemporary artists explore color using a range of media that extends far beyond paint on canvas. Read on to learn how these three artists experiment with mixed-media, photography, and installation.

Painting is one way to experiment with color. But many modern artists explore color using other materials and skills. Read on to learn how three artists use color in mixed-media work, photography, and installations (large spaces viewers move through and around to experience the work).

Have you ever tried a paint-by-numbers set? The organized structure of these images is easy for even those who think they’re “bad at art.” German artist Anselm Reyle (AN-selm RYE-leh) developed a series of works in the style of paint-by-numbers. Then he transforms them into mixed-media works that incorporate a variety of colors, textures, and patterns.

Little Cody, above, is a 2011 example from this series. Reyle fills some sections of the image with grid-like texture, some with glitter, and some with areas of flat Day-Glo color. The artist also plays with arbitrary color, using pink, yellow, and blue for the puppy’s fur. “My parents tried to show me good taste, but I rebelled against it,” Reyle explains. What makes this work an example of his rebellion?

Have you ever done a paint-by-numbers set? These outlined images make painting a picture easy for anyone. German artist Anselm Reyle (AN-selm rye-LEH) created a series of works that look like paint-by-numbers. He turns them into mixed-media works by adding textures (the visual representation of how a surface feels to the touch) and patterns.

Little Cody, above, is an example from this series. Reyle fills some parts of the 2011 work with glitter or bright colors. The artist also plays with unexpected colors. For example, he uses pink, yellow, and blue for the puppy’s fur. “My parents tried to show me good taste, but I rebelled against it,” Reyle says. What do you think is rebellious about this work?

For many people, some colors evoke a mood or feeling. Blue might make you feel sad, and yellow might make you feel cheerful. Karen Jerzyk (YUR-zihk), a photographer from New Hampshire, knows this and intentionally uses color to establish the mood in her staged photos. In her series The Lonely Astronaut, Jerzyk depicts an astronaut in abandoned homes and other spaces. Together, the subject, the setting, and the colors set the mood.

In the 2018 example above, Jerzyk captures a figure in a living room. Analogous colors yellow, blue, and green repeat throughout the scene. Jerzyk also introduces orange accents in the sofa. This color palette makes the space seem dated and eerie. The astronaut turns her head toward the window. Yellow light reflects off the helmet, making it impossible to see her face. Her position in the center of the composition adds to the mood, emphasizing the sense of isolation and loneliness.

“There is no right answer to the ultimate meaning of any one of my photos, as each viewer can read the scene differently,” Jerzyk says. The artist is interested in storytelling and hopes her photographs are “readable images.” How do you interpret the narrative in the photo above?

Colors can cause many people to feel certain moods and emotions. Blue might make you feel sad. Yellow might make you feel cheerful. Karen Jerzyk (YUR-zihk) is a photographer from New Hampshire. She uses color to set the mood in her photos. In her series The Lonely Astronaut, Jerzyk has her subject, who is dressed as an astronaut, pose in spaces that appear to be abandoned homes and other places. The colors in the images help to set the mood.

In the 2018 photo above, Jerzyk captures the astronaut in a living room. She includes the analogous colors yellow, blue, and green. The sofa contains orange accents. These colors together make the space seem old and eerie. Jerzyk photographs the astronaut so that yellow light reflects off her helmet. The viewer cannot see her face. The empty space around the astronaut is a visual clue that she is alone. Jerzyk doesn’t think there is one meaning behind her photos. “Each viewer can read the scene differently,” she says. The artist hopes to tell a story to viewers with each work. What story do you think she’s sharing in the photo above?