Recently I discovered the subtle but playful abstract paintings of Brad Bannister. His art seems subdued at first, but the more you look, the more you realize you are having a highly engaging visual experience. In "Circular Logic" the strange circles pop out at you, floating above the rhythmic surface below.
Originally from Missouri, Brad now lives and works in Tampa, Florida. Like me, he studied studio art seriously but has his college degrees in other disciplines. We both fell for non-objective abstract expressionism.
Brad says in his artist's statement that "Abstract painting, especially nonobjective expressive painting, is ironically most able to be experienced as an object in and of itself, not representing or depicting some other thing. It is experienced sensually, without other meaning, in the same way as excellent piano or exhilarating weather, nonetheless inspiring."
Brad has exhibited in numerous galleries from Missouri and Florida to the Ukraine. You can read more about his life and his art on his wordpress art blog. You can also find his art on ArtWanted.com and FineArtAmerica.com.
