The Quixotic Affect on the World's Greatest Artists Ever.

                                                                     'Quixotic', C.T. Rasmussen; 2009

I was 1st introduced to the novel, The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha written by Miguel de Cervantes; 1605 and 1615 back in 2001. The first copy I purchased had a famous illustration of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza on the cover done by Pablo Picasso, setting me on a path I wouldn't see til later in life when I dedicated my life to being a full time artist and seeker of the Quixotic in me.  I believe that the perfect capture of these two main character's of Cervante's genius everlasting "Quixotic" romance novel; is comparable to Captain Ahab's white whale, but from an artist perspective: the perfect capture of their true visual character. 

                                                                   Don Quixote, Picasso; 1955

During my quest and conquer for the perfect capture of these two characters, suprisingly I ran in with Salvador Dali's many renditions allowing me to realize I was certainly not alone in this quest or to be affected in this wa; further understanding that many many more artists other than myself and Picasso find Don Quixote to be hypnotic.  This fictional character's wild antics all for love and romaticism as he searched to save his disillusioned Dulcinea of El Toboso; the woman Don Quixote fancies his lady lovel is beyond words, and why the need for more explanation and other avenues of explanation.  I finally had a common interest with not only other readers of this book and empathizers of these two tragic souls, but a common center point to be shared with other artists (Master Artists) as well.

                                                         Don Quixote, Salvador Dali, etching

 

                                                                   Don Quixote, Salvador Dali, 1983

 As you will easily notice in all 4 versions of these two character's visual portrayals, is that all 4 of them are visually completely of their own uniquie description; showing off the fact how dynamic and ellusive the personalities of these two wonderful characters are.  as well as the affect on Cervante's reading audience and it's centuries upon centuries upon centries worth of admirers.

Follow this link to a more complete list of works influenced by Don Quixote:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_influenced_by_Don_Quixote

Stretching Driftwood B/W Painting from Photograph by C.T. Rasmuss

"Stretching Driftwood" in acrylic, 2005; by C.T. Rasmussen.

A good way to handle desert photographs, is perhaps to start in black and white, void of any color, then start by rendering it through a drawing, then paint via gray scale.  I find this sort of effort, a great way to be able to understand the composition in horizon; a meeting between earth and sky...

C.T. Rasmuss

Art Reviews of C.T. Rasmuss

"The work is quite professional in that the artist knows what he is doing with paint, makes a composition with a visual idea in it, and executes it well."
                     Prof. Peter Plagens, Hofstra, Newsweek art critic; 2008.

"They were hypnotic...The surface detail of each piece is organic and colorful, starring at them one at a time gave me the impression that I was viewing microscopic divisions of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory."  

                      AEQAI.com, Dustin Pike; Jan. 2012. 
                                                             

ZipLine   C.T. Rasmuss,  Acrylic (2012).

                                                  

"...“contained chaos”, small (8”X12”), mosaic-like works…Probably a dozen colors, glitter and strings of tiny black and white dots swirl in what looks like a bubbling pool of matter from which all life will spring."
                                                             
                                     City Beat, Kathy Swartz; Jan. 2012, (11-17).

"...much of his work is abstract; sometimes viewers see shapes or patterns not seen by Rasmuss, leading to further discussion and interpretation."

                                      Cincinnati Enquirer, Sue Kiesewetter; Aug. 7 2012.

'Moving Trees' by C.T Rasmuss

Moving Trees  C.T. Rasmuss, acrylic (2011).

As shown above, the title of this piece is Moving Trees; although an interesting concept and a more  believable notion (that trees can actually move so freely on their own) when viewing Surreal artwork such as this one...the highlight in my opinion are the use of traditional methods: in its construct such as its depth of perception and the 'spatial ability of the population'; which in fact are the reason for the notion 'moving trees' to be fathomable perhaps.  There's something else about it all that I just can't put my finger on, the name of the game I guess!

Perception

Perception is always just an eye away...