There is a beautiful fluidity that exists in life regardless of whether or not we feel it occurring in real time. Looking back over my life and everything I have grown through and all of the souls that I have connected with, the magic of evolution with its purposeless purpose miraculously reassures me of the power of flowing and allowing as opposed to forcing. That same power is present in abstract Art, which is perhaps why it resonates with me so deeply.
This week’s heART of Cool (HoC) Art Tuesdays’ Artist is a renaissance being originally from Missouri who holds a unique space in the Abstract art world. Terry Aley has painted his entire life, starting with watercolors, as that was the only method he could afford during his humble beginnings until he was 18. The resourceful spirit within Aley eventually lead him to achieve a B.S. in Journalism and Graphic Design from Northwest Missouri State University and create his very own graphic design company. Aley’s artistic sensibilities incubated in the graphic design world. From there he ventured into a diverse array of mediums including: “traditional landscape and seascape painting, pop art, modern abstract, abstract expressionism, graffiti style art, minimalism and a lot of photography.”
Aley’s latest style, that I am a tad bit obsessed with, is born from a deep reverence for seascape foam patterns. In a quest to faithfully represent the foam cells Aley studied every incarnation of fluid based painting from Turkish Ebru water painting techniques to automobile marbling, skateboard painting, “fluid” painting by artists (I.e. Nancy Wood) and even mirror cake glazing, According to Aley, “this style allows me to check many boxes with my artwork and delve into endless color studies. And I’ve found that it has an organic appeal to many people, not just those who love abstract art.” Indeed Aley’s work is very accessible to all walks of life. It could easily exist as a screensaver or a contemporary art gallery piece. His paintings harmoniously bring together opposites without having them compete. It’s the result of an artist who’s not afraid to experiment and combine elements. “At times, I appreciate a minimalist zen purple color scheme, the next day maybe a more complex “celestial” palette. I’ll even push boundaries with colors that can only be described as graphic or “pop art.” One day I will work in cool colors, and the next day I’ll go in completely the opposite direction with warm colors. And then, mix the two together for another direction. I work on wood panels mostly, ranging in size from about 12″ x 12″ to larger 30″ x 40″ pieces. I normally cover my acrylic or mixed media paintings with a hard top of resin, often containing holographic specs to further animate the works with an ethereal quality.”
The colors and composition of Aley’s artwork equally evoke images of the primordial and the distant cosmos. His work lives where yesterday and tomorrow meet. Take a minute and appreciate not just the final result of the complex and timeless process, but also his textured life experiences and knowledge that he has absorbed over his lifetime. Appreciate the easy give and take between his LIFE & his ART. And let us then be inspired to find the fluidity within our own lives and creative expressions.
💜Love & Light☀️,
CRISTEN M. MILLS
