Henry Finkelstein interview at the Jerusalem Studio School blog
January 14, 2010 by painting
Filed under interviews, landscape painting, notable painters
Henry Finkelstein The Greenhouse III, oil on canvas, 34 x 46 inches
Fascinating interview with Henry Finkelstein on the Jerusalem Studio School blog by Rebecca Harp, he is currently teaching a landscape painting workshop there. Henry Finkelstein graduated from the Cooper Union and the Yale School of Art and is a former Fulbright fellow and has taught drawing and painting at the National Academy of Design in New York. A 2003 Art in America article stated; “… he renders the landscape in a loose, lyric manner that makes him heir to the abstract-leaning, nature-based esthetic of his much-admired parents, Gretna Campbell and Louis Finkelstein.”
From the Bridge at the Bois Brehan II, oil on canvas, 40 x 44 inches
The below quote from his statement on his website reveals some of his thinking behind these compelling landscapes.
Although it may not be the first thing one notices about my paintings, their dynamic is largely influenced by the Abstract Expressionists. I need not to know exactly how a painting is going to come out, or even if it will succeed. I discover the meaning of each painting as I go along. Usually I have a hint of a theme or I know how I want to go about a painting, but the final outcome is always a surprise to me. Nevertheless, unlike strictly abstract painters, I paint mostly from direct observation. Nature offers me a necessary resistance that I find challenging.
I also appreciated what he said in the interview:
How do I define a successful painting? One in which something fresh is arrived at and is clearly stated. A failure? I’m as disappointed by a painting that I know too well from the start as I am in one that just becomes a hopeless mess.
There are a number of high resolution images(click on image) of his recent work on the JSS blog – I find it greatly helps to see the work with the higher resolution versions.
Potting Shed, oil on canvas, 51 x 54 inches
Pond, Sunny Day, oil on canvas, 43 3/4 x 45 3/4 inches
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Very nice, Larry. Thanks for Posting.
I wrote I like them.
And then I was told my comment was too short.
Hi Katerina,
Sorry you had trouble posting your comment, I’ve no idea why. You should be able to post any length you want as far as I know – short or long. The only trouble would be if you posted a number of urls – then the spam filter kicks in and may reject it. Please try again or send me your comment directly (larry@larrygroff.com) and I can post it for you. Again, my apologies.
If it continues to be a problem I’ll investigate further.
Hi,
That’s okay, don’t worry. That’s why I elongated my comment by saying that the too short one didn’t work so everything was accepted and it appeared.
Thank you,
Katerina
These remind me of Nell Blaine a bit. Would love to see them in person…In contrast to the following post, where the color was more like rainbow cake frosting, these give the feeling of being outside and actually experiencing light as it passes through the landscape.
Couldn’t remember the other painter these called to mind ’til stumbling over the part of his interview that said his mother was…Gretna Campbell; love when it all comes together that way!?!
Dmitry,
Somehow I missed hearing or learning about Gretna Campbell. I’m thinking of putting together an article on her as there isn’t much online that I could find. If anyone knows any good links about her or has images of her work I’d love to see them.
Got a Tibor de Nagy catalogue with three color reproductions. Can scan them for you if you’d like.
Dmitry, that would be awesome if you have the time. After spending more time with researching her work and looking harder for other images I may also try and contact Henry Finkelstein himself to see if he would be willing to help. It always surprises me that so many excellent painters get lost in the cracks over time.
http://www.normanturner.net/
Norman Turner is a landscape painter who was a student of Gretna Campbells. He wrote about her at least once. Jed Perl wrote a bit about Campbell as well, I believe in his book ‘Gallery Going’. Turner and Campbell both liked to paint very large paintings outdoors.