Arthur Kvarnstrom

by Robert Sievert

Arthur Kvarnstrom seems to effortlessly produce plein air paintings that seem to flow from his brush with ease. It almost looks too easy, but in reality these are extremely knowledgeable, deft works that take into account a lifetime of dedicated work.

His recent show at Prince Street Gallery had work he did while in residency on Great Cranberry Island in Maine as well as paintings done in a rural section of western New Jersey. The Maine paintings were the most exciting to me. They combined lush water scenes that captured a strong sense of daylight through his selection of color. It is hard to capture daylight with its fast moving tonal changes. Kvarnstrom had no trouble; his portrayal of daylight is directly linked to his understanding of color. There is a proper mixture of the entire spectrum in his work.

One is extremely aware of his spatial placement. He seems to create distance and spatial depth with the simplest of means. There is almost a bluntness in the manner he works. A house on Great Cranberry Island seems to be created with slabs of color, and what color, is it white? The day has turned this building into a mauve / blue entity and one is drawn into the mood of the day. Every painting reflects his mastery in this wonderfully refreshing show.