Inspired by Paul Cézanne

by Andra Bilici

Paul Cézanne revolutionized the French art of the 19th century and not only. In honor of the Post-Impressionist artist’s 181 birthday and with the Art Appreciation Month in full swing on our social media, we have curated a selection of artworks by Agora Gallery’s represented artists who draw inspiration from Cezanne’s work.

Karen Kanas paints landscapes and abstractions that are infused with emotional intensity. Influenced by her studies in the performing arts, Kanas credits theater as having molded her creatively into the artist she is today. She considers the opportunity to tell a story through her work as being a connecting thread that has run across the various creative disciplines that she has worked in. Kanas’ artistic process entails creating a custom acrylic palette for each of her paintings. She chooses one dominant color to take precedence throughout each piece, providing the foundational tone for the work.

Margaret Adams’ work is a meditation into the beauty of nature. Having spent much of her time outdoors hiking and exploring, Adams is fascinated by a landscape’s capacity for bringing one into a deep state of peace and tranquility. She feels that the act of observing nature can have a profound healing effect on the viewer as it feeds the soul in its eternal search for beauty. In her painting practice, Adams seeks to capture these faculties of nature and bring them to the viewer wherever they may be, all the while grappling with the challenges presented by perpetually changing light.

As a self-taught artist, Caroline Degroiselle remarks that it is important to be true to one’s sense of self and vision. Therefore, her canvas is a reflection of her story: she paints according to her life’s victories, challenges, and discoveries.

Danish artist Else Husted Kjær views life as a form of poetry. Heavily inspired by the landscapes of Scandinavia, her colorful abstract paintings pay tribute to nature and the human experience. Husted Kjær works mainly with oil on canvas to create her spirited compositions, making her studio practice a fully immersive experience.

Influenced by the structures of communication, which the study of cybernetics allows, each painting by Mushegh Grigoryan converses with the next. The paintings are often made simultaneously, as the artist works on many canvases at once, facilitating a narrative-like coherence between them. Also working as an avid plein air practitioner, the artist seeks to commune with the outdoors and the movement of life in public. The rhythm of the gestures exudes the noise and happenstance of every day, in the center of any major metropolis.

Andra Bilici is the Social Media Manager at Agora Gallery where, besides promoting the represented artists on the gallery’s social media channels and blogs, she heads a department that focuses on marketing services for artists. When she’s not developing or implementing new marketing strategies, Andra likes to take photos, go to the theater, or study architecture and interior design. If you’re looking for help with your social media endeavors, reach out to her at [email protected]