Abstract paintings show opens in Stafford Springs Saturday

Middle River Gallery
58 Main St., Stafford Springs, (860) 684-6226
Ted Mikulski: Literally Abstract
Dec. 13, 2008-Feb. 28, 2009.
Opening reception: Sat., Dec. 13, 4-7 p.m.

Press release

Literally Abstract, a show of paintings by Ted Mikulski, sets out to prove that abstract expressionism can be more than pictures of nothing. This show pushes the limits of what can be considered recognizable in abstract art. Look out Pollock, this art means what it says.

Mikulski's statement:

I received my masters in architecture from Norwich University and there learned how to balance and create space. I have always been an admirer of abstract art and began to paint sporadically in school. As time went on I knew that art was the only form of design I wanted to pursue.

I began teaching art and really diving into the art world to find my personal creative niche. There I found the major players in the abstract expressionism world and was hooked by its raw beauty and creativity. I like large canvases, which allow me to be freer with the paint and express an overall concept. I use a combination of latex and spray paint to achieve various effects.

Some may say that abstract expressionism is a con game, and I hear it quite often in Connecticut. However, abstract art does not have an obligation of recognition. Art in general should be something ornamental, something that the owner can be a part of. It should speak to you in a way that is more than one sided. Abstract art allows the medium to free itself from human recognition. It's meaning evolves and changes over time until it becomes something intimate.