A spire in architecture is an aesthetic form that leads our eye upward, and suggests to the mind transcendence. Something deep within us responds to the spire, and understands it in spiritual terms—it rises up out of the earth, the realm of impermanence and uncertainty, and it reaches upward into the realm of the infinite, the limitless sphere of possibility. We feel a sense of awakened freedom as our eyes follows the spire upward.
Richard MacDonald made one of the most distinctively original compositional elements a part of his expression decades ago, and it is emblematic of his personality as an artist. Richard MacDonald constantly touches on the theme of freedom from limitation, breaking from the earth-bound or ordinary, to reach for something lofty and aspirational.
In the textural form of the various spires that elevate the human figures we see a hard-edged treatment of the bronze that suggests geology—things of the earth—that contrasts with the soft flesh and human vulnerability of the figures. This interplay creates an excitement that is visual and intellectual. The range of sculptures that include the element of the spire is broadly varied, and for each one the effect is unique to the piece. Underpinning this variety, however, is a stylistic unity that speaks to the heart of Richard MacDonald’s perception of humanity. Richard MacDonald sees human beings as creatures of unlimited potential, always striving to push back the boundaries, and soar.
Richard MacDonald Solo Exhibition:
A Convergence of Spires, Beauty and Passion
Dawson Cole Fine Art, Laguna Beach
326 Glenneyre Street
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
MEET THE ARTIST:
Saturday, November 9, 2019
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Sunday, November 10, 2019
12:00 – 3:00 pm
Please contact the gallery to RSVP as space is limited.
949-497-4988
