TRAVIS BRUCE BLACK
The bird portraits of Travis Bruce Black are a statement all their own. These
are not your regular blasé birds, however. Black’s technique pulls viewers into
his paintings until their reality blurs with his fantasy. Vivid colors and subtle
flirtations with the mildly abstract, force viewers to re-evaluate their concept
of what is true and real. Beautiful chaos, tied up neatly with a paradoxical bow,
results in fascinating imagery.
The preponderance of Black’s work is painting with watercolors, which brings
a dreamy quality to his work, when paired with his abstract techniques. They convey
a certain bewilderment, which Black discusses in his artist statement: “I try
to convey the spectrum of difference between abstract and natural form to illustrate
how layered reality is, and to flesh out a more inclusive picture of what ‘real’
feels like. An overarching theme in my work is how complex creatures are, and
how every living thing is a little package of total mystery. This thought puts
a magic in my head.”
The ultimate goal of his art, Black contends, is to contribute positively to
other’s lives. “My aim is to create compelling works that bring joy, optimism,
and mystery: art that expresses my lust for life and the simple exuberance of
being.”
