Oil painter Aron Wiesenfeld creates expansive environments riddled with psychological feelings of looming danger. His work is a delicate mix of American Scene Painting, (1930s Regionalism), Figural Surrealism and Realism.
Aron lives and paints in San Diego and I was lucky enough to catch up with him at his downtown studio and celebrate his most recent, sold out, etching Rain. The time spent was inspired, Aron was down to earth and kindly shared introspective insight about his work:
mM : Your oil paintings are expansive featuring a tumultuously working through the tremor of deep pitted emotional turmoil. As you paint, does the story unfold and head into a direction that the brush might decide? Or do you set out with a concept that plays an important part in your narrative style? Please share your thoughts.
Aron : It’s both. I like what you said about the brush deciding, because that is how it sometimes feels. It’s wonderful to be in that state of just letting the brush paint, and being lost in the world of the painting.
Starting out though I always have some idea of what I’m going to do, whether it’s a sketch or some text. I wouldn’t use the word concept, more like the suggestion of something. It needs to have emotional power for me. As I’m working on a painting, if I get into trouble I go back to that first feeling, and it guides my decisions. There are tons of surprises along the way. And then again, it’s also about recognizing and nurturing the good surprises, ultimately ending up with something richer than anything I might have conceptualized originally. That’s what happens when it goes well anyway.
mM : How would you describe your style of painting? Who are some of your heroes from the past that inspire you?
Aron : Realism, but not from life. I paint as realistically as I can from my imagination. I find that way I can find the right balance.
I think many of my heroes worked in sort of the same way, like Titian, El Greco, Edward Hopper, Goya, Bocklin, Corot (Top Left), Caspar David Friedrich (Top Right), Bruegel, and John William Waterhouse (Above).
mM : What is next for Aron Wiesenfeld and when is your next painting exhibition.
Aron : The next solo show will be September 2014 at the Arcadia Gallery and I’m currently working on a new etching. Over the next few months I will be participating in these shows: “Risque” Long Beach Museum of Art, CA, September 2013, curated by Nathan Spoor and Jeff McMillan; “Small Works” Arcadia Gallery, NY, September 2013; “Born Free” Los Angeles Municipal Gallery, CA, October 2013, curated by Andrew Hosner and Amanda Erlanson; and “Pop Surrealism” Museum Aquarium, Rome, December 2013, curated by Alexandra Mazzanti.
Fine artist Aron Wiesenfeld attended the Cooper Union School of Art in New York. Soon after graduation Aaron spent five years creating comics.
In 1997, attending Art Center College of Art and Design in Pasadena. In 2010 a retrospective of Aron’s work was assembled at the Bakersfield Museum of Art.
Amanda Erlanson describes, “When I first saw one of Aron Wiesenfeld’s charcoal drawings, I was immediately struck by two things — its ominous, enigmatic emotive power, and how much his use of light reminded me of Edward Hopper. . .”
Amanda continues, “Unlocking the subconscious reservoirs of the spirit should be the highest goal of art, but few painters in the art world have the courage to attempt it.”
Aron is currently readying himself for a new exhibit of his large-scaled paintings at the Arcadia Gallery taking place in September of 2014. Please visit Aron Wiesenfeld’s website for additional information. (Read more: Rain etching feature).
Thank you to Aron Wiesenfeld for sharing his vision and intimate thoughts of inspiration.
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