Introducing Rebecca Riley. One of the reasons I love these paintings is that Rebecca approaches making a painting much like a scientist approaches a series of experiments. She makes most of her decisions up front, (which colors, layered in which order, in what sort of structure defined by which directions & flows) creating a set of initial conditions and rules, and then lets the experiments run forward.

The paintings “paint” themselves, a visual system set into motion, creating an outcome you can’t entirely predict at the outset. This allows her to focus on the physical act of painting, freeing her from constant on-going decisions-making once she starts in.

Below, more work from the Big Bang Series.

Big Bang 1, oil on canvas, 24” x 36”

Big Bang 2

Big Bang 9

The Big Bang Series (above) and Multiple Systems series (below) reference ideas about systems large (galaxies) and small (molecular), and are brimming with energy -- both contained and released, in a multitude of directions. And her fluency with color is simply magnificent. Enjoy!

Current Work from the Multiple Systems Series

Multiple Systems Spinning Structure3

Butterfly 1, acrylic on canvas, 48” x 48”

Butterfly 1 (detail) acrylic on canvas

Butterfly 2, acrylic on canvas, 48” x 48”

Earlier work from the Flow Series

Flow 8

Flow 3

And one last piece, from the Stack Series.

Stack 1, Oil on Canvas, 28" x 22"

For more images, or to contact Rebecca Riley, go to her website: www.rebeccarileyart.com.