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Photograph by Jennifer WoodmanChristopher Bielski is a painter with a purpose: the creator of works characterized by their innovative use of color and format, he uses his art to balance the negative aspects of society with optimism, joy, tranquility, and affirmation. Reflecting his affection for the environment as well as his concern about it, Bielski's paintings are underscored by his belief in America and his commitment to preserving its inherent values, especially as they regard family, community, and personal freedom. Bielski is an iconoclast in both theme and approach: unafraid to point his finger artistically at the social and political leaders who are attempting to damage our rights, he combines techniques found in sculpture and painting to create abstract yet concrete art which is characterized by its distinctive, often surprising use of mediums and color. In several of his works, Bielski provides startling effects by throwing paint on plexiglass or by layering it on collages "taken from today's headlines. His paintings are also distinguished by the artist's use of three-dimensional wooden overlays, which he places in unusual angles, and found objects, most often from nature, which he sets strategically on his pictures. As a colorist, Bielski blends shades ranging from subtle pastels such as salmon and pink to bright, eyecatching dayglo streaks and darker earthtones. His approach to framing his pictures, which range from miniature to wall size, is also unexpected; Bielski surrounds his art with borders in a variety of shapes and colors which he designs to contribute dramatically to his artistic statements. For example, Bielski placed a hot pink frame around one of his works in order to enhance its commentary on the nature of masculinity. However, even at his most active or complex, Bielski impresses with his internal organization and his concentration on form and balance. His works share an inherent flowing, rhythmic quality and a harmony of color and design which ultimately evokes a sense of peacefulness. In addition, Bielski's characteristic use of geometric shapes such as the circle and the triangle provides viewers with a sense of both familiarity and continuity.
"Design, drawing, painting, and photography," says Bielski, "are the four cornerstones ot my art," a statement that the artist's background verifies. Born in 1957 in Hamtramck, Michigan, Bielski was encouraged by his parents, George and Ewa Bielski, to develop both his creativity and his practical sense. Choosing drawing as his first medium, Bielski later decided to pursue photography, a medium he values greatly for its perspective quality, at institutions such as the Parsons School of Design and Cooper Union School of Art, both in New York City; Alexander Place, Hornsey School of Art, in London, where he worked with English artist John Edwards; and Syracuse University, from which he graduated in 1980 with a B.F.A.; Bielski was also a student of French Impressionists in Paris. Believing that art is a continual educational process, Bielski moved from photography to abstract painting in order to explore the possibilities of color. Profoundly affected by the violence of society, especially as reflected in the Vietnam War and other upheavals of the 1960s, Bielski began his painting career with a series of dark, chaotic pieces which caught the intensity of the period. By addressing such issues as the relationship between color and form and color as a statement of happiness, Bielski came to his current perspective: attempting to represent a positive version of life. In March, 1989, Bielski had his first one-man show at the Galeria in Orchard Lake, Michigan. A member of the Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Artists Association, he has been represented in galleries throughout his native state, both in exhibitions and in competitions. In addition, his works hang in both public and private collections in the United States and the United Kingdom. An artist whose paintings are done as contributions to community, Bielski uses his talents to bring order out of chaos and beauty out of sadness. So, meet an artist whose works stimulate the eye and mind while bringing serenity to the soul: Christopher Bielski. |
