Optimism and pessimism join forces in Questions of Reverie, paintings by Christopher L. Richards at Maria Neil Art Project from March 4 to May 6. Both vibrant and muted canvases include reference to the artist’s interests in mid-twentieth-century abstraction as an exploration of energies that affect our mental state. “My paintings are meditations on how events and thoughts can linger or chip away at mental and emotional stability,” says the artist. “I am particularly drawn to the language of Op art and Color Field to express the weight of these internal and external forces that plant themselves in our mind.”

Hard edges represent concrete thoughts while color takes on the role of mixed emotions. “Much of my work comes out of personal insecurities and the boundaries I place to protect myself. The paintings can show just how vulnerable the psyche can be, but also its strength and resiliency.” Subtle uses of translucency act as means of connecting thought and emotion. They can add clarity and strength or reinforce feelings of distress.

Sometimes color is muddied, like ambiguous thoughts and emotions that you struggle to define; while in a different way, the color can be very clear, and you know exactly how to describe it. Not everything is negative, but nothing is completely rosy, either. “There are breaks in the wall, there are sharp angles that interrupt the lines, off-setting the structure or even optically creating divides that aren’t there,” Richards says. “I think most people can relate to these psychic energies.”

 

 

QUESTIONS OF REVERIE, PAINTINGS BY CHRISTOPHER L. RICHARDS | MARCH 4–MAY 6

MARIA NEIL ART PROJECT
15517 Waterloo Road, Suite 1B
Cleveland, Ohio 44110
info@marianeilartproject.org