Art inspires so many of us, but for artist Jorin Bossen, iconic artists such as Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh, Clifford Stills, David Hockney, Rosalyn Drexler, Alice Neel are his inspiration. Bossen has been painting for almost twenty years and said that he admired how Toulouse-Lautrec, and Van Gogh created a form with not just shading and the illusion of depth, but with the paint itself. “I am really drawn to the texture and feel of the paint. Many of these artist have pushed the idea of what or who should be the subject of a painting. Also, their use of paint to be both representational and abstract is very inspirational.
Bossen’s paintings will be featured in a solo show entitled “Notes on Gesture” at the Upper West on Sunday, April 28th, 2019. He will be showing over twenty-five works from his portrait series and his Western series. Bossen was recently introduced to the restaurant and said he is honored to have his artwork exhibited. “I’ve had two of their sandwiches, which I have been thinking about ever since,” said the artist.
One of his paintings, Carlos at Canter’s was inspired by a late night dinner with a friend. Bossen called it “a private moment in a public space.” As always, the artists brought his camera to capture a moment that might be used later, in one of his paintings. His friend was stretching, Bossen saw the relaxed action, yet also the nervous energy. He snapped a photo. “A duality like that often attracts me to an image; something that gives a glimpse into the psyche of the subject, a vulnerability inside of a confident exterior.” He said as he painted, he tried to capture and push further the same feeling. “The large relaxing blue of the background interrupted by the abstract anxious pink brush stokes heighten the awkward relaxed posed of the figure. Areas of definition and clarity such as the specifically rendered areas set against the washy uncertainty of other parts of the painting add to the feel of this being a fleeting moment of a private thought. Moments of quick gestural paint mirror the quick gesture of the figure.”
Bossen recently participated in the famed Brewery Art Walk in downtown LA. He has exhibited in the United States and Europe. He is also a member of the artist/curator collective Durden and Ray. Find out more about the artist on his website http://www.jorinbossen.com/
The artist reception will be held on Sunday April 28th 2019 from 4-7pm. The Upper West Restaurant is located at 3321 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica 90405; 310 586-1111; https://theupperwest.com/