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The range of William Rathbun's work cannot be embraced easily or quickly. There is a very evident continuity and cohesiveness in the development of his handling of line, color, and space throughout the decades, even as he has moved through presentation genres in the quest to express his idea in the manner and medium which might prove the most pliant and transparent. A review of the incredible abundance of pieces over the decades also suggests that the artist's need to manage and communicate his experience overwhelmingly dictates both medium and style at all times. His intense and fluid language reaches deeply into his personal life and uses symbols for that experience which are occasionally, both amusing and poignant simultaneously. The passion both for, and in, this documentation is staggering. We intend to add many more examples as time goes on. In the meantime, ARTSHIP takes great pleasure in offering to you this fleeting glimpse into the astounding poetry of William Rathbun. CLICK ON THE IMAGE BELOW to LINK to the neons and other sculptures; SCROLL DOWN to link to the paintings 3-Dimensional Work
Rathbun's last dozen years or so have been largely committed to perfecting and broadening his mastery and expression in neon glass. These light-enhanced sculptures and collages, ranging in from 2 to 14 feet in size, are intense, autobiographical, and introspective. In any room, each piece presents as a brilliantly-costumed actor in motion, and its commanding voice is unmistakeable.
Rathbun's non- Neon Sculptures have always demonstrated the versatility and mastery of sculpted space which he is now pushing to other limits in glass. These forms move from "traditional" into semi-abstract, from playful into bizarre, from elegant into fantasy. They range in size from several inches to 4 feet and employ wood, cardboard, rubber, tin, and the other found or constructed objects which turn up in the neons. They include carved chess sets, hanging flower-golders, collages made of Hallowe'en masks, "day of the dead" totems about 6" high, and other forms representing emotions from the impulse of a day to the creative monologue of a decade. (CLICK ON EITHER IMAGE LINK ABOVE for the NEON and OTHER sculptures) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2-Dimensional Work:
The ABSTRACT-EXPRESSIONIST paintings are monumental both in size and in statement. There are from 30 to 40 large, brilliant canvases from 3 to 7 feet in size, which make a statement not comparable with that of any well-established modernist we know of. Frequently utilizing strokes like the finger-painting daubs of a child, the compositions pull us into a unique and intricate world of their own; seldom exhibited, they are compelling in their confidence, composition, immediacy and beauty.
And there are the PAPER NEONS: (CLICK ON ANY IMAGE ABOVE to LINK to the PAINTINGS.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We present on this site only a portion of the paintings available; prices range from $ 135 to $ 13,000. Each of the links above will take you to the section where that genre is represented, and by clicking on any image link on each page you will be transported to the purchase section where you may use our secure server to order. Or use the link below to inquire and request more images, information. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ARTSHIP is sponsoring THE NEONS at PARADISE CITY ARTS FESTIVAL: BOOTH # 241 Northampton, MassachusettsMay 24, 25 & 26, 2007 for directions etc see www.paradisecityarts.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Click on the "O" to see Rathbun';s COMMERCIAL NEON WORK at Crossfire Studios: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ |
To comment on this artist or inquire about any piece: 
or CALL: 508-394-1789
