Frank Stella

Frank Stella

            American printmaker and painter Frank Stella is primarily known for his minimalistic, abstract works of art.  In 1961 he stated that a picture is “a flat surface with paint on it-nothing more”.  This concept has stemmed a body of works from Stella that reflect this concept.  Stella’s Protractor Series has paintings with colorful arcs and rings.  Eventually Frank Stella transitioned from completely flat canvases, to using collage elements, and even the creation of sculptures.  One of Stella’s larger projects was painting a BMW with the idea of graph paper molding to the car’s form.  Stella’s most recent projects are three dimensional using architectural shapes.

            I was inspired by Frank Stella by his willingness to leave his comfort zone.  I admire that he started with completely flat artworks, and has transitioned to three-dimensional sculptures so smoothly and effectively.  I also feel that it is a big honor for him to be commissioned by BMW to paint a car for the Art Car Project.  The pieces of Frank Stella’s that I enjoy looking at the most are his early flat paintings, because of their bold colors and geometric shapes.  I like the intricate patterns he makes, and it is interesting that something so visually dynamic can be made out of such simple repeated shapes and lines.