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Thomas McKnight Biography
Thomas
McKnight - From the archetypal fantasy islands and landscapes to the
civilized and ordered interiors, McKnight's images caputure his optimistic
attitude and his belief that there should be a celebration of life
on earth. In his work he strives to balance shape and color, all washed
in the bright sun- light that is characteristically McKnight. His
works offer a passage into another land- a land of fantasy and brillant
color. He outlines and adorns forms with minute lines that symbolize
but do not create texture. The rooms and vistas that he depicts invite
the viewer to enter, visually through a window or doorway and mentally
through the calm and serene nature of his works. Devoid of people,
his works are very accesible and enticing. They depict a life of quiet
luxury and opulence that is universally dreamed of and longed for.
The inspirations for McKnight's work come in a variety of forms and
from a variety of sources. He and his wife fre- quently travel which
has become a main source for many of his paintings. According to McKnight
he looks "...for what is timeless, of the essence, what is most
characteristic of time or place or thing," (Thomas McKnight,
1984). Born
in Lawrence, Kansas, and raised in the suburbs of Washington, D.C.
and New York, McKnight was educated at Wesleyan and Columbia, with
majors in art. After one year of graduate work in art history at Columbia,
he took a job at Time magazine working with the advertising and promotions
department. It was six years later that he made the decision to turn
to painting full time. Living and painting in the Greek Islands, he
sold many works through a German Dealer. Years later, seeking an enterance
into the world of posters, McKnight turned to serigraphs and has made
that a staple of his production ever since. His editions are regularly
sold out upon re- leases as the number of McKnight admirers and collectors
grows. Many critics and writers have offered their opinions as to
the popularity of McKnight's work. Perhaps McKnight himself best explains
his success in saying that he strives to create work that is very
accessible.
Crescent Bay
Mcknight,
Thomas
53 in. x 31 in.
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