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Continuing with studio visits of Contemporary Artists of Chicago..

August 3, 2014: Visited studio of Artist Darrell Roberts .

Darrell Roberts is a Chicago based painter. He was born in Eldon, Iowa 1972. He did both his BFA and MFA from the School of Art Institute of Chicago [SAIC]. In 2007, he received the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation award and a grant from the George Sugarman Foundation.  He also received a generous grant from the Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation for the development of his artistic career. In 2009, he received the Illinois Arts Council Grant for the continuous development of his artwork. In 2009, he hasd his first Solo Exhibition “Surface Matters”.

Darrell Roberts is represented by the Thomas McCormick Gallery, Chicago… click here..

Roberts’ work is rooted in the everyday where landscape, architecture and his surrounding environment inform his paintings. Thick, richly textured surfaces convey movement and the tension of space, form, line and color are evident. In his own words.. The ever-changing landscape and structures of the metropolis inspire my work. Over the years I have documented Chicago; the lake, the gardens, the skyline, its people and construction sites. All these elements and textures influence my work. Today I live and make art in Chicago. The pace of people, traffic and hectic life make it easier for me to notice the subtle changes of textures, colors,  forms and light as I move through the city. These changes quickly catch my eye and give me a moment to rest. Many times I spend much of the course of a year, documenting construction sites and am interested in what was and will be.

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Darrell Roberts’ studio is covered wall-to-wall  with his paintings – dazzling color palettes, rich texture and layered patterns – making for a vibrant and dramatic space! One can experience the stimulating atmosphere of intense energy that reflects Robert’s creativity! In his own words..  My painting process is not dissimilar to the continual push and pull on the growing metropolis. As crews raze a structure so others are building new projects. In the way a mark is applied, a color is laid down and then scrapped up and moved away, only to let another layer build-up the painting.

Darrell Roberts works on multiple paintings at a time. He explains..  I work on a series at a time, as many as fifteen paintings. Some times laying down the background, other times scrapping away and covering it up. Each time adding more texture through the thick layers of paint. Over the course of months, my abstract paintings are razed and built-up. My canvases are opaque and full of color, texture and a sensory overload. Steeped in the tradition of oil painting, my paintings are best seen in multiples to get a sense of the sensory overload and rapid eye movement on a subject with the subtle changes.

Here are some images from Darrell Roberts studio visit.

 

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Darrell Roberts lives in Cornelia Arts Building [CAB].  It is one of the largest All-Artist studio buildings on Chicago’s Northside. Established in 1986, it is located at 1800 W. Cornelia Ave. CAB rests in the epicenter of three distinct Chicago Neighborhoods; Lakeview, Roscoe Village, and Ravenswood/North Center. It holds quarterly open studios, that are free and feature work by local artists including painters, photographers, sculptors and more. It is conveniently located being close to public transportation – only two blocks south of the Addison Brown Line CTA stop, and has free parking available in parking lot out front and on neighborhood streets nearby.

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Of particular interest to me is his love for India and India travels.
One day I want to hear more about his extensive travels to India.. and also Bangladesh and China!

I visited Darrell Roberts after visiting fellow artist Jason Messinger.
These are two contrasting studios but equally vibrant and stimulating work space.. click here..

 

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RELATED LINKS:
Studio Visits: click here..
Know the Artists series.. click here..

 

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