Once a month I will be showcasing the talents of colleagues in the art world, and I am very happy to introduce you to Mitchell Visoky, a friend, and also President of the Mamaroneck Artists’ Guild in Larchmont, New York. Mitchell has worked in a variety of media, but his work is always recognizable for it’s great sense of design and his use of color, line and texture. I hope you enjoy it!
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Mitchell Visoky
I am pleased to be able to share my artwork on Alison’s Blog.
With degrees in art and art education from Buffalo State College and the College of New Rochelle, I taught elementary art for twenty-eight years in Croton, New York and prior to that, at several schools in upstate New York. Teaching provided me with the opportunity to explore the breadth of my skills and the love of various media.
After retiring from teaching in 2008, I decided to create art on a full-time basis. I moved my home studio to a studio space in Port Chester, New York and continued to study monotype printing and mixed media at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking in Norwalk, Connecticut.
My work with monotypes focus on the formal elements of color, shape, line, texture and composition with a connection to the environment in both a man-made and natural context. You can see this work on my website.
Habitat I
Encaustic, charcoal, oil stick
12”x12”
Habitat II
Encaustic, charcoal, oil stick
12”x12”
I believe that continuing ones education is important to develop and grow as an artist and I regularly take classes in a variety of media in order to learn new skills, enhance my work and avoid stagnation. One of these workshops was exploring the medium of encaustic (pigmented wax). The melted wax was captivating. To me, the layering of colors and then excavating them is a process full of adventure and endless possibilities. I utilize my monotype techniques and intentions to enhance my encaustic work.
My primary focus now is on using encaustic with mixed media. The 2 images above and the 2 below are part of a series entitled Habitat. Each image has been altered slightly giving them their own unique quality. The intent behind these works was to remove the context of the landscape (house & objects) from the ground.
Habitat III
Encaustic, charcoal, oil stick
12”x12”
Squared Up
Encaustic, paper, oil stick
16”x16”
Applying various types of paper with layers of encaustic and oil stick gives me the freedom to explore a wide range of possibilities. By dividing the composition into different sections, each section is able to engage in a dialogue with the others.
My most recent work has been with portraiture. This interest developed while exploring old self-portrait photographs. An avocational photographer, I was at first, hesitant to use these images in my work and was additionally concerned with revealing my identity. I decided to pursue the image in a more universal manner allowing me to continue my series work.
Mystery Men
Encaustic, charcoal, oil stick, toner transfer
16- 6”x6” panels, 28”x28”
This piece is composed of sixteen 6” x 6” images. Each piece features encaustic but with different media added including pastel, charcoal, oil stick or toner transfer.
Obscuring the details of my features gave me the confidence needed to pursue this new direction. Throughout the process I reflected on issues of identity and privacy. References to science fiction, old black and white movies and photography, and the concept of privacy on the Internet eventually found their way into these works.
Mystery Man I
Encaustic, charcoal, oil stick, toner transfer
24”x24”
If you would like to see more of my work click on the link to my website: www.visokyart.com
You can also contact me at: visokym@aol.com
Thank you to Alison for giving me the space and time to share my artwork with you on her Blog.
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Thank you Mitchell!
Until next time…
Alison
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