Throughout his career, Alan Shields embedded recognizable geometric forms into his handmade works that highlighted the material’s imperfections. The ragged edges and embossed geometric grid of circles in Big Tate act as a background for his watercolor and acrylic painting. The interplay between swaths of yellow, pink, and cream and the colored blotches of acrylic paint emphasize the texture of the paper, integrating it as a defining quality of the composition. The rawness of Shields’ work showcases the artist’s handmade paper and lends each piece a unique, individual quality.
Alan Shields
BIG TATE
1978
watercolor and acrylic on embossed paper
11 x 11 inches