left: Notes of Land & Sky III
ink on paper
2006
right: Notes of a River's Edge I
Acrylic on paper, 8 in. x 6 in.
2007
Karl Pilato
january 11 - march 3, 2007
Featuring a new series of abstract works on paper. Pilato embraces the directness and simplicity of ink to create complex and subtle images. Inspired by traditional Chinese landscape paint-ing, these works evoke elemental nature. Pilato layers richly varied marks and tones, contrasting wet washes with dry scrubs, to gradually build areas of dense blacks, with delicate transitions to luminously white paper. The white paper is boundless space. The marks of ink are tumbling form, flirting rhythmically with structure, never arriving at a static idea of landscape as they come out of and return to boundless space. Each piece dis-plays its unique sense of spontaneity, rhythm and wholeness while it can also be seen in conversation with the rest of the series. The view-er’s eye follows the cascading and rising movements from one piece to the next like following a piece of music or unrolling a Chinese scroll painting. Pilato exhibits a voice of both depth and clarity through the simple elegance of ink on paper.
Karl Pilato received his BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 1997 and his MFA from the Massachusetts College of Art in 2001. He has been awarded resi-dencies by the Virginia Center for Creative Arts and the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology in Oregon. His work was featured in a solo exhibition at Butters Gallery in Portland, Oregon in 2003.
