The natural flow of grain in wood is a beautiful thing, and artist Jason Middlebrook builds upon that natural artistry with his painted lines.

Vertical Landscape Painting, 2011, Jason MiddlebrookVertical Landscape Painting, 2011, Jason Middlebrook
acrylic on black walnut plank
Photo: Karen Pearson

Middlebrook selects internal wood cuts by hand from mills in New York and Massachusetts, using maple, redwood, English elm and Cairo walnut tree trunks as source materials.  The highly saturated pigment lines sometimes flow with the wood grain and sometimes directly go against it, but in both instances creating a sense of infinity.

Black and White Number 2, 2011, Jason Middlebrook Black and White Number 2, 2011,  Jason Middlebrook
acrylic on wood plank
Photo: Karen Pearson

The artist lives and works in New York, and has exhibited widely throughout the U.S. and Europe. He is intrigued by the relationship between humans and nature, and his varied artworks reflect that theme.

Geode Plank, 2011, Jason MiddlebrookGeode Plank, 2011, Jason Middlebrook
acrylic on english elm plank

The rough cut planks lean against the walls in his exhibitions, often towering over audience heads. The pieces pictured above are eight to almost fourteen feet tall, a forest of geometric lines and natural, organic shapes.

Although his plank painting are my favorites, Middlebrook has a wide range of work that includes drawings, paintings and sculptures.  See his website for more:  http://jasonmiddlebrook.com/

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