In February, The Friends of the Newtown Square Library are delighted to welcome Chris Niedland, an Improvisational Painter, who finds his inspiration for painting in music. His spontaneous, fluid artworks are highly popular, and reminiscent of the "automatic" style of painting which is recognized by Surrealists. The largest piece which will be on display throughout February is an almost 8 foot triptych called, "Love/Hate/Love." The first section of this dramatic piece is filled with the energy and innocence of youth. The second section encounters life's traumas, and the last segment portrays an emergence from the struggles, and the capability to love again-reflected in the softer tones.
Mr. Niedland was formerly an architect, and became personally familiar with the Billie Penn Statue during his 8 years working on the restoration of City Hall's exterior. After that experience, he moved towards becoming a full-time artist, and has found success with his interpretive art shows in the greater Philadelphia/New York/Washington DC regions. His work now resides in private and corporate collections throughout the United States and in 14 countries.
While his taste in music is eclectic (his painting "Litanies" was inspired by a baroque organ piece), much of his inspiration is derived from jazz pieces by artists like Pat Metheny, Stan Getz, as well as composer Hans Zimmer, and numerous composers of the Acid Jazz movement, namely Thievery Corporation and Bonobo. By scouring songs on iTunes, searching for music much like he would a color in an art store, Chris builds an inspirational playlist, and runs it in a continuous loop while he paints, until it is finished.
Niedland's vibrant paintings will be on display at the Newtown Public Library through Feb 28th, 2013. All of his works are for sale, and he can be contacted at 484-868-1479 or at yyz1983@comcast.net. You can find him at www.niedart.com, www.facebook.com/uNiedart, or follow him on Twitter @uNiedart.
