White Noise

For my last entry of the year I’ve decided to switch it up. That’s right, no more random music reviews, musings on movies, or token commentaries on university policies.  This blog post is going to be different (it will actually be about art!).  This post is going to be about one of my favorite (lesser known) painters, Thomas Chimes.

Thomas Chimes was one of the most influential artists in the greater Philadelphia area during the 20^th century. Inspired by such artists and literary figures as James Joyce, Matisse, and Vincent van Gogh, Chimes was an integral player in the Abstract Expressionist Movement. Although Chimes is probably most famously known for his portraits of 19^th/20^th poets, writers, and artists, one of his most intriguing works (at least in my opinion) was his series entitled “White Paintings.”

These paintings, fashioned by Chimes later on in his life, are said to be reflections of his own personal traumas (i.e. his separation from his wife). The images depicted are whitewashed to a point where it seems as if you are looking into the depths of human memory through a dense fog. In order to create this effect Chimes applied color pigments onto a white canvas and then wiped away the paint so a faint outline of the intended figure.

Personally, I love this portion of Chimes’ works because it is so completely different from anything else that was being produced at the time. Also, on a more practical note, looking at these images is extremely calming so definitely check them out if you are feeling stressed about finals.

Here is a link with a few sample paintings from the series: http://www.philamuseum.org/exhibitions/2007/107.html?page=3

Hope you guys enjoy Chimes’ stuff and let me know what you think. It’s been really fun sharing my random thoughts with you guys. Good luck with finals and hope everyone has a fantastic summer 🙂