ArtBreak with Sean Hurley 2/16/11

I was quite excited for this artist's lecture because I loved Sean's print in the current show at the Museum of Art.  Here it is, I think I actually put this one in a previous post:

Sean Hurley, Cement Factory, 2010

I absolutely love this print!  I think because it is somewhat stylized, uses multiple colors and has a somewhat chiaroscuro element to it.  It was very interesting hearing about how Sean's prints have evolved during the last several years.  He started by showing us some images he was influenced by, including some by Edward Hopper, Charles Sheeler, and James Whistler.  He said that he had mostly done figurative work before seeing pieces by Hopper and Sheeler and then started doing more landscapes and gritty, industrial scenes.  To begin with, he would take photographs and then work from those in order to cement his technique with the prints.  His first ones were a lot like Sheeler's work in that they were focused on the contrast between light and dark shapes.  

Sean then got into more spontaneous work by sketching directly from life onto his etching plates.  After continuing with this technique for a while, he went back to doing detailed drawing studies before beginning each etching.  I found this progression really interesting.  It was so cool that he kept altering how he approached his work just to keep his interest and to take his work in new directions that just felt right.  I think I really identified with this because I get bored if I stick with the same technique or medium for too long--I feel the need to change it up to stay creative and not feel like I'm getting stuck in a rut.

Here is a diptych of Portsmouth that I love:

Sean Hurley, Bow Street Divide, 2008

I am intrigued by the wonderful perspective and the swooping lines that lead your eye all around the picture.  Plus, it is always fun to recognize a place in a piece of artwork!