Justin Merrill Smith has a wily unkempt bread and ringed fingers. He stands poised and wise from Buddhist and Quaker values. His tall thin frame is evident of his Vegetarian up-bring. He is decked out in full vintage attire. Long dark hair typically reaching past his elbows, today is neatly rapped up in a crimson Sikhism, identifying him and his religion, Sikh.
Justin begins each piece with a clear mind, the void of any intention. He relies on instinct and his subconscious to lead the way in creating an appealing mix of color and texture. He has foregone the use of paint brushes and has replaced them with kitchen whisks and bamboo shoots. He has mastered the use of dipping these tools into oil paint. He then drips the paint onto floor lying canvases, creating dot patterns that build and speckle in a "tie-died-like" furry of earthen tones .
The work of Abstract Expressionist, Jackson Pollock immediately comes to mind. The same aggressive, spontaneous movements that Justin uses can be found in 1940's Pollock work. They both sling paint onto a canvas that is lying out on the floor. They both use repetitive motions to build patterns and layers. They both worked from all angles and sides of the canvas. This type of painting is more like a dance than a rendering; more like event than a picture. They are solely out to capture movement, energy and emotion.
Justin admits to having no control over the fluid movements of the paints. That lack of control is where his interest is held captive. He glowing teeters on the point of loosing control and harnessing it.
Justin's work will be on display through September 18th.
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