Walking in My Own Steps | Simard Bilodeau Contemporary | Los Angeles, CA
Photos by Paul Salveson
Michael Nauert's paintings are a passageway; they allow us to engage with the familiar in a way previously hidden to us. The very nature of his abstract forms conjure up intimate feelings of both reminiscence and discovery. It is in this space that we can explore ideas and sensations that we cannot put a name to, but that have been given a physical body to contemplate.
The direction of his work has been informed by paradigm shifts in his life. Starting from a place of limitation and restraint, Michael came to a catharsis painting in the jungles of Belize that freed him from rigidity. The literal blossoming of his work is apparent from this moment forward--a release of hesitation and a trust in noetic sensibilities that became unlocked in the divine beauty of these unfamiliar landscapes. After spending time in Los Angeles and bearing the stricture of living in the city, he was moved to create a mobile art studio in order to further immerse himself in natural surroundings. The peace of a setting removed from daily confines honed his ability to connect with mystical influence and bring it into his pieces; the impact is clear in his palettes and forms.
Each brushstroke is part of a conversation between the artist and the untapped ideas that lie just beyond our everyday cognition; from canvas and self-carved wood his works take form organically, rather than being the result of careful planning. The movement and color are conjured moment to moment. The final result is a translation of the sense that he begins with; much like the spider weaving her web, he is guided both by an intuition and a dialogue with the physical medium.
Nauert's process is steeped in this balance between the known and unknown; the intrinsic link between the material and the spiritual, a marked departure from common schools of thought that seek to separate these two worlds. When presented to the observer, the life behind his painting is unmistakable. Viewers will see a physical manifestation of emotion and feeling that he has drawn up from a wellspring of ideas that are a coalescence of human experience. Having an external space to contemplate these innermost feelings is crucial to our understanding of ourselves, the universe, and how the two are eternally linked; Nauert's work provides this space with endless complexities for the eye and mind to rest on, to absorb. Seeing his pieces displayed here is a wonderful privilege, as it allows them to speak to each other as well and form a continuum that is breathtaking to behold. Natural elements of light and movement flow indelibly from one piece to another. As we can trace the otherworldly inspiration from piece to piece, we can also feel it radiate out to intertwine with our own consciousness, and take part in the vibrant life of Nauert's paintings.
by Kellie Marwaha
