The Franklin Gallery at RiverStones Custom Framing, 33 N. Main Street in Rochester, will host an exhibit during the month of February featuring the work of John Girouard, an artist who resides in Madison, NH.  The public is encouraged to drop by to view this exhibit which will be on display during RiverStones Custom Framing’s regular business hours – Wednesday through Friday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Girouard is a self-taught artist whose journey into the art world began outside conventional paths. He developed an appreciation for the power of color and refined a sensitive handling of this mixed media. Now his experiences are transformed onto canvases and into vibrant and energetic abstractions. The elements of Girouard’s compositions include layered glazes, rich colors, gestural strokes, and an atmospheric sense of light and depth.

During his youth, Girouard relished the outdoors with frequent camping, hiking, fishing and hunting adventures. “I found an energy and wisdom in the natural world that words and representational images could not convey,” says Girouard.  “My experience with abstract art is much like my experience with nature. Abstract art has brought me deeper into my being than other genres had been able to move me. I have always long felt the connection between the wilderness, spirituality and my work as an artist.”

Girouard’s current body of work consists of vividly depicted abstract paintings that use strong, bold colors in a mixed medium that delight in swirling movement. Thickness and transparency of the media, allow the works to retain qualities of depth and liquidity even after drying. Each canvas possesses layers of pure, rich color and thick undulating texture that capture light by visually traveling through the painting. Swirling strokes and flow of color give the pieces a living moving appearance that assumes a decorative splendor.

Pioneering through uncharted territory Girouard engineered methods to regulate the intensity of colors, manipulate the form in each work, and develop a curing process to smooth the final product. He pulses out liquid while monitoring the flow and saturation of the canvas and deliberately introduce elements that intrigue and delight. Girouard’s work is co-created both with his precise and deliberate guidance towards its completion along with an intuitive sense of how each piece is to emerge.

The atmosphere of these works is complex using bold colors and patterns that interweave and intermingle. These forms appear solid and simple from a distance but upon close inspection they are riddled with the twists and turns that surround our lives. Gazing at the pieces one can peer into the vibrant depths and see colors within colors frozen in time.

“My work is infused with passion and curiosity that hopefully awaken the viewer to the great mystery that surrounds us and rekindles the joy and creativity of youth,” says Girouard. “Reminiscent of Frankenthaler and Klee, I pursue the use of color with abandon and inspire the exploration and observance of our interior landscape. The wonder of it all – swirling before our eyes enticing you to ask where is that swirl traveling on the canvas and where is it traveling in me.”

When not indulging in creative pursuits, Girouard enjoys exploring wilderness off the beaten path as well as metal detecting and seeking treasures in nature.  For the last decade he has enjoyed volunteering at a food bank in North Conway, as well as assisting the Mount Washington Valley Arts Association the last few years.

RiverStones Custom Framing and the Franklin Gallery are open Wednesday through Friday, 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. For information about this exhibit and other RiverStones events and services, call (603) 812-1488, or send an e-mail to riverstonescustomframing@gmail.com.