BLACK AND WHITE IN COLOR
MICHAEL SHEMCHUKMICHAEL SHEMCHUK
BLACK AND WHITE IN COLOR
April 18th – May 31st, 2024
Bryant Street Gallery is excited to present Black and White in Color, a brand new collection by mixed media artist Michael Shemchuk. This series of quiet, understated abstraction was created with a focus on purity of composition, refined color, and elegant, lustrous surfaces. The exhibition will be on view from April 18th to May 31st, 2024. The gallery and the artist welcome the public to an opening reception on Saturday, April 20th, from 2-5 p.m.
Black and White in Color is a broad spectrum sensory experience. The work encompasses a wide tonal range: from deep inky blacks to calm, organic neutrals electrified by flickers of chroma. The surfaces memorialize the marks and textures that Shemchuk achieves through hands-on, tactile practices. As the kind of artist who emerges from the studio splattered in paint, Shemchuk has fashioned these paintings as diverse snapshots of his energetic application.
Shemchuk’s work is shaped directly by a close engagement with material and process. One of his main goals is simplicity, as he aims to pare down each composition to its essential elements. Simultaneously, he seeks to re-evaluate traditional materials, pushing the limits of the media by processing them in a variety of unconventional methods. He begins each piece by accumulating a layered surface of paper and paint, then strategically scores, cuts, and peels away certain areas. The key is a careful intuition, honed over multiple decades of practice, of knowing exactly when, where, and how to manipulate the surface. What is removed often carries as much presence in the work as what has been left behind.
Born in a small town in Massachusetts, Shemchuk moved to the Bay Area to study art at the Academy of Art College and San Francisco State University. There, his interests in photography, color, and abstraction built the foundations for his artistic approach. He went on to become a faux finisher and an advisor to architects and interior designers. Many noteworthy Bay Area homes and buildings carry his influence. His expertise in these fields carries over to his artwork, whose textures often resemble building walls or interior surfaces. Today, Shemchuk leads workshops on design, which have deepened his appreciation for community and collaboration as integral parts of artmaking.
Black and White in Color will be on view at 532 Bryant Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 from April 18th to May 31st. For more images and information please visit the website at www.bryantstreet.com or email us at bryantst@mac.com
Bio:
Shem is an abstract artist living and working in Northern California. Largely self-taught, he did not emerge on the art scene in a conventional fashion. His career has crisscrossed the world of applied arts and visual expression. His work has evolved over the last two decades, shaped directly by a close engagement with material and process, and a focus on abstraction and design. His experiences as a teaching artist over the last seven years have inspired and deepened his appreciation for creative community and collaboration. Shem is represented by several galleries in the US and Canada.
Artist Statement:
My work has evolved over the last two decades shaped directly by a close engagement with material and process. I became interested in the changes in art-making stemming from shifts in technology. My response was to re-evaluate traditional materials such as paper and paint, thus simplifying my approach to abstraction. I was inspired to further the pursuit of abstraction and design by streamlining the materials and employing processes as integral to my work. The result is my “Surface Tension” series, which is based on an organic process involving water, paper, pressure, friction and time. The “g + p” series is based on working exclusively with a Gypsum + Paint medium.
In addition to art-making I teach the principles of Abstraction by Design (AbD) to students and fellow artists via workshops and private mentoring. My experience as a teaching artist over the last seven years have inspired and deepened my appreciation for creative community and collaboration.
“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” -Leonard Cohen
In my creative journey I visit this quote often. As a self-taught artist these words have provided me with a launching pad and a landing site in pursuit of my work.
Awareness of the light has assisted me in recognizing my aesthetic and informed my teaching skills and sensitivity to the light has guided me in choosing the paths presented before me.
Chroma 07.23
Mixed media on panel 44” x 44”
Chroma 05.24
Mixed media on panel 46” x 56”
Chroma 06.23
Mixed media on panel 44” x 44”
Chroma 04.24
Mixed media on panel 44” x 44”
Chroma 03.24
Mixed media on panel 44” x 44”
GP 16/17 23
Mixed media on two panels 36” x 72”
GP 07.24
Mixed media on panel 14” x 14”
Chroma 06.24
Mixed media on three panels 18” x 54”
Totem 02.24
Mixed media on panel 48” x 12”
Totem 01.24
Mixed media on panel 48” x 12”
Totem 102.24
Mixed media on panel 72” x 9” x4”
Totem 101.24
Mixed media on panel 72” x 9” x4”
GP 3638.23
Mixed media on two panels
32” x 16”
ST 77.19
Mixed media on paper
13” x 13” framed
ST 31.23
Mixed media on paper
13” x 13” framed
ST 32.23
Mixed media on paper
13” x 13” framed
GP 47.23
Mixed media on panel
12” x 12” framed
GP 43.23
Mixed media on panel
12” x 12” framed
GP 44.23
Mixed media on panel
12” x 12” framed
GP 46.23
Mixed media on panel
12” x 12” framed
