“A Dole, A Flight, Or A Piteousness” (2022). Acrylic and charcoal 30 x 40 x 2 in (76.2 x 101.6 x 5.08 cm) “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and when it comes to abstract painting, so is everything else. W.S. Cranmore’s A Dole, A Flight, Or A Piteousness is a testament to the intensely subjective malleability of abstraction. How one interprets the present work is entirely a function of circumstance and personal experience. To my concrete-jungle-born-eyes, A Dole, A Flight, Or A Piteousness is an urban landscape. The flatness of the composition initially recalls an aerial view, but upon further inspection, it feels closer to folk art. With this interpretation in mind, the title takes on new meaning (I have no idea if this is what the artist intended, but the variation between the viewer’s understanding and that of the artist often spurs the most exciting conversations): a dole is usually an altruistic (often they fall woefully short) act of support by the government. So, I look at the work and think of the public housing I grew up in, full of life, excitement, and working spirit but also awash in pitiful conditions. I really love this work.” -John Crowther, art critic. 🔷 #portlandgallery #artgallery #modernartgallery #gallerist #artcollecting #artsale #fineartpainting #statementpiece #portlandart #abstractartists #modernabstract #Fineartpainting #geometricabstraction #artcritique #artcritic #artblog #originalartworks #firstfridaypdx #artpdx #wscranmore (at Milwaukie, Oregon) https://www.instagram.com/p/CpsvKuevwT4/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
