Stefanie Schulte

Colour Experiments

July 19th – August 5th, 2023

The colour experiments are a combination of architecture in two dimensions and an analysis of the interactions of colour, very much in the spirit of Josef Albers.

Within these works, the role of the canvas boards is not just to “carry” the painting: the composition and the format enter into a dialogue in which I explore the partition of the space, creating harmonic rhythms, often following the underlying mathematical rules found in nature.

Similarly, a second dialogue takes place between the different shades of colour, influencing each other as they are stacked or placed side by side. The paintings grow slowly and organically, each brushstroke is like a new layer of tissue.

Up to a certain point, it is predictable what the mutual reaction between the colours might be, but in the end the colours will always have the final word, no matter how much effort has gone into mixing and testing a shade. Elements of surprise and disappointment create a dynamic here that makes the whole process exciting and adventurous. Therefor I like to classify my work as “Emotional Geometries”.

In my studio, I am usually surrounded by several canvases and smaller boards and very much enjoy working on a number of paintings at a time. Sometimes, after a long process of mixing, the magic happens: I might have that particular shade of colour on my brush which switches something on in my mind. Then, intuition tells me where to place the next brushstrokes with that precise colour.

The works are finished when a brushstroke reveals to have been the last missing puzzle piece. I always seek for that thin line between ‘simple enough to pass on a clear visual message’ and ‘complex enough to keep the viewer intrigued’.

Stefanie Schulte PhD, Jerrabomberra, June 2023