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Meditation
in Contemporary Art:
Exploring the Boundaries of the Works of Art of Stephen Beveridge
In my observations, lecturing, and conversations with spectators about contemporary art, I have found that artists are constantly allowing their work to go beyond the borders of the canvas or paper that their work is created on. The viewer is able to contemplate and meditate, enabling their minds to move away from the work without actually leaving the work of art. This happens, especially when there is movement and/or a repeated patterning in the pictorial space.This idea comes to mind when I look at the paintings, watercolors, and digital art of Stephen Beveridge. His ‘all-over’ paintings have the ability to keep me interested, however, I am able to let my mind wander and come back with a comfortable feeling of being home again. Stephen’s constant search for feelings of restfulness and contentedness are present in his work at all times. They are fixed in their pattern and color arrangements, along with a strong balance in his composition.
I recently had the pleasure of escorting my private clients to view Stephen’s work. Our conversation led us to how art affects us physically. We are more comfortable when the artist designates the top and bottom for us, as in a horizontal landscape, where the sky and land are obvious. When this device is removed from the picture, we need to find another way to analyze the work. Once my students became aware of this, they felt more comfortable. The time had come to measure the work in its ability to keep us engaged in the pictorial space, by seeking the paradigm of color and composition. Stephen Beveridges work was a wonderful and successful exercise in viewing art.
Written by
Jami Taback
Art Historian, Painter and Printmaker
Copyright, Jami Taback, 2001
Embodying subtle layers of wisdom, Stephen's acrylics serve me as a tool for meditation. Every time I gaze at his "ANGEL" acrylic I see different images and receive new inspiration. Stephen Beveridge demonstrates in his unusual post-modernist art a flair both for technical proficiency and an evolved sensitivity.
Anna Loomis Hengerer
Each person reacts differently to the same painting, since each person brings unique experiences and personal tastes to understanding. There are no right or wrong answers in appreciating abstract art. If you free yourself from the expectation that abstract art is supposed to look like something, you have the most freedom of any observer throughout the history of art to interpret it any way you wish.
Rose Ferronato
