Swimmer - SOLD
By Frans Wesselman
Woodcut print
Limited edition
Unframed
Image size: H: 42cm x W: 49cm
The oddly gesturing swimmer is folded into a rectangular space to create a clever composition, highlighted by the fishes swimming in the opposite direction. Pops of spot colour draw our eye into the detail of the texture of the body, above and below the water line, and the intensely concentrating facial features.
ABOUT FRANS WESSELMAN
People and relationships are central to the work of this Dutch-born former art teacher, always based on close observation of the natural world and of human interaction with other creatures.
Typically, his pictures tell stories - of people doing things, feeling things, sharing gentle humour. His scenes aim to convey the psyche of each character or of a situation. We have to read what's going on and he wants us to think about it, just like he's done: “I need to have my mind engaged”.
Enchanting wood cuts, etchings and stained glass pieces are often derived from famous poetry, drama, folklore, myths or travel tales, including Shakespeare and Chaucer.
Other work is from his imagination or from observation. He draws from life models and goes out with his sketch book to capture anything that takes his interest.
In 1983, Frans was elected to the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE).“I'm a painter above all. I love to look at paintings and drawings; I get a lot out of it. You can look at the detail of a picture and marvel at what the artist has achieved by a single brush stroke. That's the satisfaction, when you find the right stroke and it just lights up the whole picture.”
We show some of his watercolour paintings and limited edition fine art prints in his own mix of wood cut and etching, framed and unframed.