KOCARLSON - the art of George F. Kocar and John W. Carlson

Aug. 28, 2008 - PRLog -- CLEVELAND, WILLOUGHBY, OH – The figurative works of George F. Kocar and John W. Carlson will be exhibited at The Art Gallery in Willoughby OH . "KOCARLSON - the works of George F. Kocar and John W. Carlson" will open on Saturday, Sept. 13th (6-9) and will run thru October 11th.

Differing greatly in artistic style, the works compliment one another with their unified use of figure to communicate the world of today.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS…

- - -
GEORGE F. KOCAR – Bay Village, OH.
A lifelong resident of the Cleveland area, George graduated from Cleveland State University and has his M.F.A from Syracuse University in New York.

Mostly working in acrylic or watercolor, his work is instantly recognizable. George places his zany, his big-nosed figures into a multitude of boldly painted modern day situations and topics.

“I try to capture the lunacy that is modern society in paint. Some artists try to paint perfection. I believe that nothing is perfect, that perfection in itself and trying to achieve it is lunacy. My paintings engage the audience. They question society. They also provoke laughter. And in laughter, it just may be the cure.”
     George F. Kocar

SEE GEORGE ONLINE:
Flying Banana Studio (http://members.aol.com/gkocar/)

- - -
JOHN W. CARLSON – Bay Village, OH.  (orig. from Ashtabula, OH)
Always artistically gifted, John began his career as an artist by attending Cleveland’s Cooper School of Art. Inspired by the works of Egon Schiele, Franz Kline, Edward Hopper and Lucien Freud, John strives to find a balance between expressive drawings and boldly executed paintings.

Carlson often combines traditional oils with alkalids, charcoal and graphite. Working mostly on large canvases, he freely applies his medium without sacrificing subtle emotional details. This method allows him to control the negative space, which is vital to the ambiguity that runs through all of the work. What appears to be a gentle gesture to some can appear violent or passionate to others.

“In all of my work I search for the core, that center of the thing, the emotional DNA if you will. That thing which we respond to individually but are ultimately all connected by.”
     John W. Carlson

SEE JOHN ONLINE:
CarlsonStudio (http://www.carlsonstudio.net)
John W. Carlson Blog (http://johnwcarlson.blogspot.com)
John W. Carlson on MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/johnwcarlson)

- - -

The KOCARLSON blog will follow the shows events online (http://kocarlson.blogspot.com)

- - -

For press inquiries, please contact:
Erin Giddings
carlsonstudio@gmail.com
__ __

For gallery information, please contact:
The Art Gallery (George Anne)
4099 Erie St.,
in Historic Downtown Willoughby, OH 44094
440.946.8001