Keeping up with... RANDALL DAVID TIPTON

Laura and I have never been huge fans of watercolors. Oh, yes, we’ve seen our share of beautiful watercolors in the past, but, overall, we have seen far far far too many crappy watercolors which generally turn us off from wanting to even look at others (note to hobbyists: your poor watercolor efforts should not be rationalized by you saying you are painting "intuitively"). With that said, and having dabbled in the use of watercolors myself, I just don’t see how anything good could come of them. What a pain to work with.

Early last year, during one of Laura’s and my many quests for good/new/fresh art, we fell across the work of Portland, Oregon painter Randall David Tipton. Can I say "love at first sight" without sounding sappy? Who cares. It was. We fell completely in love with Randall’s watercolor landscapes. He creates the perfect balance of fluidity and the strength of color and line that we simply had not seen before. Tipton’s work stands equal with the work of the greatest expressionists of the 20th century. It makes you feel the beauty of the landscape, not just see it. If an artist just captures reality and doesn't filter it, something is missing. The result is less than the original. When an artist does what Tipton does something unique and wild appears.

One of Randall’s secrets is his use of yupo (a synthetic, machine-made, non-absorbent paper). The plasticized paper accentuates his range of colors and fluid technique. Pigments lie on top of the paper  instead of getting absorbed and washing out – or worse, bleeding together. Colors retain their true clarity. And, the plastic surface promotes the fluidity of the water medium - you can truly feel Randall pushing his paints across the surface.

Beyond the overall balance and beauty of Randall’s landscape imagery, for me, what truly stands out in all of his work are his colorist sensibilities. Specifically, I admire his use and mastery of both reds and yellows. Often over done by less talented artists, these two colors are generally considered the most difficult to command in a thoughtful and successful manner. Through his abstracted landscapes, Randall dazzles us with shocks and gashes of red. And his inclusion of yellows brings his paintings to life.

In Randall’s words:

Throughout my career the landscape has been my guiding orientation. Whether I’ve tried to reduce its complexity to bands and gestures or to focus intently on a particular aspect, my motive has always been to suggest something fundamental and primal. My impulse comes from a simple belief in the restorative qualities in nature. In the American tradition of Thoreau to Frederick Edwin Church to Arthur Dove and others, I include myself among those trying to expose and explore the transcendental relationship we have with the natural world.

Coming of age in the late 20th century, after the example and sacrifice of the abstract expressionists, I came to also believe in their faith in improvisation as a more direct link to the unconscious and therefore to something more authentic.

Ultimately, this is where my commitment lies; through the process of painting, alert to possibility, my belief in the redemptive essence of the landscape becomes an image.

It took a little effort to convince Randall to ship his work across the country and be shown at Migration. Although he has exhibited his paintings with great success on the west coast (primarily Oregon and California), Randall was cautious and a bit skeptical (as he should be) of how his work would be received on the east coast. And, it was a lot of money to ship for an untested market. But we were persistent… and it paid off. He agreed to try a few pieces last spring. Then he sent a few more in the summer.

Most recently, Randall has sent us some of his oil on canvass pieces (pictured). What a treat to see them in combination with his watercolors. The same qualities described above shine through. To top it off, Randall’s oils are very reasonably priced (very!). They won’t last long. Come by the gallery for a look. I can promise you, there is nothing else like Randall’s work on the east coast.

Images include: Top, Creekbank 2. Middle, Island Thicket. Bottom, Willows Creekbank.

Comments

[Barbara]

Hello, Rob:

Thank you for the alert on Randall David Tipton's work. His art is truly exceptional. When I last visited Migration Gallery, I, too, was captivated by Tipton's art. Will be looking forward to taking a closer look soon.

Barbara

[Rob Jones]

Thanks Barbara. Glad you enjoyed Randall's paintings. And, just to clarify for those reading the article... Although I talked a lot about Randall's watercolors, the work we just received are oil on canvass - equally stunning to say the least.