Embracing Black and White

I’m thrilled about my first solo show at Gallery 110 in Seattle (110 Third Ave. S., in Pioneer Square), 3 March – 2 April.  The show is titled “Embracing Black and White – and the infinite shades in between.”  The show feature 14 monochrome paintings, which I call MBTW for the only two pigments used:  Mars Black and Titanium White.  Each canvas is 36” square, large enough to make a difference in an interior space, and enigmatic enough to reward multiple interpretations. We’re also displaying two 12”x 12” paintings on wood panels, also black/white/gray. 

The show opened this Thursday.  I’ll host a more focused tour and discussion from 5 – 8PM on Thursday 10 March.  I’ll also be in the gallery from noon to 5:00 each Saturday, 5 March – 2 April.  The gallery is open 12-5 PM Thursday-Saturday.  I hope you can come by – I’m eager for you to see these pieces “in person.”  I’ve printed 11”x 17” publicity posters, which feature MBTW26 at 11”x 11”.  I’ll be happy to sign one for you at the gallery!

In the meantime, you can view the paintings online at jwharrington.com/mbtw.

But if we take away the color?

Despite my obvious love of color, I’ve started a new series of paintings that eschew color and representation, to focus on composition and implied meaning.  The MBTW series https://www.jwharrington.com/mbtw currently comprises thirteen 36”x 36” canvases painted using only Mars Black and Titanium White pigments.  By eliminating the associations of colors and their juxtapositions, I can emphasize the non-objective nature of the compositions.   Associations abound nonetheless, derived from the interweaving of positive and negative spaces.  Some have a range of shades from black to white, some are only black and white, some are dominated by dark shades, some by light or white.  I absolutely don’t have a favorite among these twelve, but here’s an example of what can happen despite such a limited palette: