JENNESS CORTEZ
FLORA PSYCHOLOGY
JENNESS CORTEZ FLORA PSYCHOLOGY MARCH 7 – MARCH 31
In her newest work, New York artist Jenness Cortez explores the energies of flowers, inspired not only by their beauty, forms and color, but also by their previously invisible and very specific “vibrational fields” from which these arise. She depicts this potential energy, this “Flora Psychology,” as abstract dots, dashes and colors unique to the character of each bloom.
© by Jenness Cortez
ABBONDONZA
acrylic on birch panel, 30 x 30 in., $27,000
© by Jenness Cortez
DYNAMIC SYMMETRY
acrylic on birch panel, 36 x 42 in., $45,000
"I’ve turned a decidedly nontraditional eye to the world of flowers––those forms which constitute one of the most traditional and ubiquitous subjects in the history of art. Combining abstraction and realism, my intention is for these contemporary paintings to communicate both the intelligence and personalities of specific flowers, as well as the greater, invisible energy fields from which these forms arise.
© by Jenness Cortez
WHITE SPLENDOR
acrylic on birch panel, 40 x 40 in., $48,000
© by Jenness Cortez
TO LIFE
acrylic on birch panel, 40 x 40 in., $48,000
© by Jenness Cortez
COMPASSION
acrylic on birch panel, 30 x 30 in., $27,000
Flowers may be so familiar that we often delude ourselves into thinking we really know these characters, even while finding them “sentimental”, “old fashioned” or “purely decorative” — if we notice them at all. Or, we may take genuine aesthetic pleasure in their brilliantly designed form, color and scent, yet give their lives no further thought. Familiarity has blinded us, precluding our valid perception of these outrageous, hyper-energetic manifestations of creative desire.
© by Jenness Cortez
ROSES ON GREEN AND GOLD
acrylic on birch panel, 30 x 30 in., $27,000
Their life’s work, we seem to believe, begins and ends in their service to us, as they grace our gardens and dining room tables, greeting cards and lapels. But I know these players well, and my intention is to show them for what they really are: physical manifestations of potent, raw, sexual energy. Those astounding energies are the real subject of my paintings. I am offering my visualized depictions of that energy in every square inch of the painting, for the delivering blossom is but one of that vibrational field’s tsunami of formerly invisible manifestations.
© by Jenness Cortez
THE SCENT OF LILACS
acrylic on birch panel, 30 x 30 in., $27,000
© by Jenness Cortez
ONE FIELD
acrylic on birch panel, 30 x 30 in., $27,000
© by Jenness Cortez
PEONIES IN A CHINESE VESSEL
acrylic on birch panel, 40 x 40 in., $48,000
The flower itself is but the physical instrument of the greater vibrational field that whispers, sings and shouts its lust for union. Although to us flowers may be merely beautiful, they are—without exception—supremely well equipped agents, undertaking serious missions of seduction to ensure the continuation of their species. Their intention is accomplished with wit, grace, cunning and an individualized style and intelligence that delights us, despite the fact that it’s all really none of our business. We too are seduced. Innocent bystanders, perhaps, but nearly as susceptible as those targeted pollinators she intends to snare.” — Jenness Cortez
© by Jenness Cortez
INVINCIBLE
acrylic on birch panel, 36 x 36 in., $40,000
BIOGRAPHY Jenness Cortez is a distinguished figure in the contemporary revival of realist painting. She was born in Indiana and studied there with Antonius Raemaekers, a Dutch-born painter and superb teacher whose early instruction continues to influence her work. Cortez received a rigorous five year training in all technical aspects of art making at the Herron School of Art & Design and the Art Students League of New York. In her remarkable career Cortez has become proficient in a variety of subject matter including sporting and wildlife art, landscape, portraiture, interiors and still-life. Early in her career she worked as an editorial illustrator and etcher, then returned to her love of painting, with animals as her primary subject matter. For twenty years (1977-1996), she skillfully portrayed thoroughbred racehorses. In the mid-1990s a growing interest in exploring the challenges of her work inspired Cortez to broaden her subject matter to include landscapes, cityscapes, Western art and still life painting. Jenness Cortez has exhibited her work since 1975, and has had more than 40 solo shows throughout the United States. Her work is in numerous private and public collections including those of Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, HM Queen Elizabeth II, the New York State Museum, the Polk Museum at Florida Southern College, Skidmore College and SUNY Empire State College. Jenness Cortez lives and works in rural upstate New York.
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