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Rick Berry’s Expressive Paintings of Figures in Motion

Rick Berry paints figures that appear to be caught amid rapid, dance-like motions, which he captures with a flurry of brisk, gestural marks. What the viewer gets are not precise renderings of graceful limbs, but expressive images that convey their subjects' energy. Berry's style evokes Abstract Expressionism with its visceral textures, but, ultimately, he reigns in his wild paint strokes to create recognizable, human shapes. Though his paintings are figurative, however, they're not necessarily narrative. Throughout his body of work, one can see the evidence of his process, which seems to be at the forefront even when viewing the finished product. 

Rick Berry paints figures that appear to be caught amid rapid, dance-like motions, which he captures with a flurry of brisk, gestural marks. What the viewer gets are not precise renderings of graceful limbs, but expressive images that convey their subjects’ energy. Berry’s style evokes Abstract Expressionism with its visceral textures, but, ultimately, he reigns in his wild paint strokes to create recognizable, human shapes. Though his paintings are figurative, however, they’re not necessarily narrative. Throughout his body of work, one can see the evidence of his process, which seems to be at the forefront even when viewing the finished product. 

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