Gestural Methods: Art by Noah NJ Bowman
Untitled (Body Politics), acrylic on canvas
Noah NJ Bowman is a painter who specializes in painting on a large scale with wild, gestural methods of mark-making. The artist’s paintings are abstract and utilize a colour palette that ranges from saturated primary hues to deep Earth tones.
I enjoy the way the artist uses a variety of different mark-making styles on each canvas. Many works combine fine, twisting abstract line art with large planes of colour, and volumes built up with heavy paint and gradient colours that create a sense of shadow and space. Some of Noah’s paintings hearken to the abstract works of Willem de Kooning, in their combination of short, frenetic strokes and larger, quieter patches of solid colour.
The front page of Noah's portfolio website
Noah’s works with wide, emotional gestures have also been combined with textiles to create wearable pieces. The artist’s silk organza scarves present a delicate aesthetic that belies the bombastic nature of most of his paintings – yet the artist still manages to offer a unique take on these fashion elements.
