‘Charmingly incorrect’

“Bound” (mixed media on canvas), by Skowhegan, Maine, artist Ryan Kohler at Portland Art Gallery.

Mr. Kohler writes in his artist’s statement:

“Charmingly incorrect is the result that I typically shoot for, rather than literal and precise. There comes a point where too much detail and obvious overstatement becomes detrimental to the power of a painting.  Letting edges blur and being ambiguous with brushwork usually leads to more interesting results.  This is something I am constantly thinking about while painting and I try to walk away from them when they are at an evocative and unpredictable state.’’