Art that just “is itself”

Hunting Accident by Gregory Klassen

“I certainly don’t know exactly where it’s coming from,” says painter Gregory Klassen of his large-scale, often dark abstract works, “and maybe I don’tneed to know.”

Klassen was one of the last artists to study under the tutelage of Gerhard Richter at the University Düsseldorf in the mid 1990s before returning to his native Milwaukee to work, paint and eventually start a family. Though Klassen might identify his works as abstract, he almost takes a cue from his former teacher in that he tries to leave the work open to interpretation and shies away from definitive parameters.

His paintings lean toward the organic, layering texture and color to create images that are oddly reminiscent of … well, something you can’t quite put your finger on, and something that both Mark and Greg can hardly put into words.

You can see more of Gregory Klassen’s older work on his website. You can also get a new podcast every week if you subscribe to Backstage with Mark Metcalf through iTunes!