Local artist Chris Bates has compiled his largest collection of work in over four years. The show consists of his uber-detailed pen and ink drawings, multimedia pieces and live art painting done over the summer during Beet Street’s Streetmosphere. The show runs all of January.
Come meet the artist Jan. 7th 6-9, Jan. 8th 5-8, and Jan. 14 6-8.
Chris Bates’ Artist Statement:
During the past decade my life and the world that we all live in has seen many changes. Art has been the one thing that has stayed constant. By staying committed and pursuing my goals I have been able to turn my talents into a lifestyle and my lifestyle into a career. I am very grateful and blessed to be able to survive as a professional artist and am living out my dream right now. Art has granted me opportunities to travel and meet many wonderful people. I am most concerned with contributing to my local communities and sharing my love and inspiration with Colorado. That has been best reflected in the murals that I have completed in Fort Collins. Including the wall on the east side of Enzio’s, Beavers Market, The Brave New Wheel Bike Shop, the interior of Big City Burrito and Hodi’s Half Note, the front and back of Bid Al’s and numerous transformer cabinets.
This collection of work is a combination of some bright color pieces and some detailed pen and ink drawings. I try to achieve balance with my art styles and techniques. I enjoy the fine detailed work as much as I enjoy using bright colors in looser abstract compositions. I keep quality and intensity as the unifying factors of my work. My pen and ink technique that I have dubbed “Finetooning” is a way to combine doodles and cartooning into fine art pieces. I find that this art can appeal to multiple audiences for many different reasons. These works are highly personalized and contain stories within stories. They force the viewer to look at the works from multiple perspectives. By inviting the viewer to take an active role, in the often-static role as “viewer”, I engage people into looking deeper into everyday life. Much like the balance that I try to achieve in my creative process the color pieces give the show some visual rest and a chance to relax into the work. My abstract paintings tend to be more like looking at clouds. There are hints of images but each person my find their own truth in the work. I hope that you find something that you can define/ relate to/ or enjoy in my work. Thank you for taking the time to see the importance of art and supporting creative expression in the world.
