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John Baker

At first glance, the bold, geometric paintings of John Baker appear to be exquisite studies in design, pattern and color. From his "Telepathic Observation" series to "Catch Phase", Baker juxtaposes line, shape and shaded blocks of color to form a rich tapestry in which the play of the viewer's eye can weave and re-weave over time.

Baker, a draftsman by training, relies on the use of architectural elements, such as the circle, triangle and rectangle, found on a draftsman's blueprint, to create exquisite puzzle-like patterns of bisecting lines and shapes.

But there is more to his paintings than just an artist's experimentation with 2-D design and the way a viewer sees a painting. Baker deliberately reaches back into the modern history of painting to lend an additional dimension to his work. He consciously utilizes rich earth tones and simple, geometric shapes to recall the Cubists and Russian Constructivists of an earlier era. Paintings such as the "Catch Phase" series, evoke in a very abstract fashion, the strange urban landscapes of di Chirico; the rich, earth tone palette and simple architectural shapes suggesting perhaps an imaginary, desert roadside Spanish town. Still, the end result is very contemporary and approximates something just out of our grasp. Is the "Telepathic Observation" series about our disconnected feeling while traveling long hours on a desert highway? Could "Catch Phase" be a comment about fractured, urban life?

Baker's evocative paintings provoke these unsettling questions while seducing the viewer's eye with his beautiful concoctions.

Window II

Window II Medium: mixed media
Size: 20"x30" omage
Price: $900

Window I

Window I Medium: mixed media
Size: 20"x30" image
Price: $900