OCR Text |
Show f; ";7- , . , ... . 1.,, t'J ; ' : ' ; : ': ' '-li;- IS w V ' . , ' a. is fJt If IS WMm f i: : . :. ' ' !: ' : : " I ' : ' 1 III" The colors are lost here, but the kaleidoscope shapes of Robert Setrakian's style are still evident. photo by Nan Chalal ' . Setrakian lets paintings evolve by RICK BROUGH Record staff writer When Robert Setrakian works on a painting, he goes into nearly a state of trance. "It's almost automatic," he said. Tapping into his physical surroundings sur-roundings and spiritual state, he said, he begins the first strokes and color fields. The colors and forms evolve as he adds a series of surfaces to the painting. The painting is finished, he said, when his dialogue with the work results in a mutual understanding. Some of the results can be seen in the Setrakian exhibit now in the Lower Gallery of the Kimball Art Center. In his abstract work, the shapes are rigidly geometric, or evocative of landscapes or swirling seas, or blurry like the x fog of dreams. Regardless of the shapes, the colors flow together with a liquid, kaleidoscopic quality. Setrakian begins a painting with no preconceived notion of what it will become. As the work evolves, he said, he gives it his own input plus the willingness to work from accidents that happen along the way. Even with his fluid, abstract style, Setrakian said he goes through cycles. His exhibit at the Kimball, he said, was done in early 1985 and is a winter spring kind of show. "Now, all my colors are starting to turn to spring summer," he said. Another important concrete influence, influ-ence, he said, is his home base in Stinson Beach, California. His painting, "Township", is a fairly explicit reference to the town, v Setrakian," a San Francisco native, was educated at Stanford University. His most important influence there, he said, was Professor Nathan Oliveira, and the "spiritual qualities" quali-ties" of his art style. "Over the past five years, I have departed in many directions from him, but we are in the same school." He said Oliveira was also responsible for the West Coast resurgence of the monotype. This is a medium, he said, in which an image on a zinc plate is transferred to paper via an etching process. "It is a combination of painting and printing. It makes a one-of-a-kind impression." Setrakian's next exhibition comes in late July, when his work will have a private showing at the Los Angeles home of actor Richard Dreyfuss. His exhibit at the Kimball runs through July 4. n . ( . , |