New Works 2007, Paintings by Kevin McGraw, Present Magazine 2007
Kevin McGraw draws near the canvas, he paints on a vast surface that often spans nearly six by six feet, wide as the Midwestern plains and expansive as the sky. His work is abstract, but the ideas within each painting are near tangible forms fighting for position on the canvas. The shapes seize territory, colors stretch and drip and assemble into muscular patterns. You Tube reveals two large cylindrical shapes, separated yet connected by a thin line of yellow. Whether it is a cable, pipeline, human limb, or product of your imagination, the tenous connection against a cold field of blue makes a chilling statement.
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Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you are made of. ––Unknown
A permanent state of transition is man’s most noble state. ––Juan Ramon Jimenez
These quotes appear in the four-color book, Before and After, printed to accompany McGraw’s 2006 exhibition of new works at the Back Room Gallery. The chosen quotes seeming fitting for an artist who has applied his talents to the grindstone for over two decades and continues to evolve and make his mark.
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