Exploring Acrylic Art

Acrylic paint was first developed in the 1950s as house paint, and made commercially available as artist grade paints in the 1960s. The term ‘acrylic’ refers to the fact that the pigment for the paint is suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints are water-based pigments that can instantly add life to a composition with their vibrant colors and versatile character.

“In acrylic, happiness comes a bit faster.”

– Robert Genn 

Acrylic paints have been a popular medium among artists ever since their introduction in the sixties. Despite being widely known as one of the easiest paint types to work with, acrylics require a high level of skill to actually perfect the bold textures and techniques. The medium itself encourages experimentation and involvement, which is probably why every artist subsequently develops their own unique technique to work with.

Below is a small but diverse selection of acrylic works by Agora Gallery artists.

Acrylic Abstracts

Acrylic on Canvas, 59.5″ x 239.5″, $2550 (each)

George Struikelblok’s acrylic paintings are playful and vibrantly colored with thick patches of blues, greens, and oranges. His pieces are tied to the theme of family with titles emphasizing togetherness, happiness, and embrace. “People’s emotions and lives are changed by personal experiences. Having my own family has inspired that change in me and in my work,” he explains.

Acrylic on Canvas, 16″ x 16″, $1800 (each)

Drawing inspiration from the “nature and the beauty that surrounds us” Annette Balsgaard’s impressionistic abstract paintings capture and convey the different moods of nature: the dynamism of spring, the peacefulness of a meadow, or even the violence of a summer storm. “I am fascinated by the forces of nature – both the colors as well as the contours and structures that can be found within,” she says.

Acrylic on Canvas, 40″ x 40″, $3400 (each)

Using techniques of both building and breaking down to create his three-dimensional patterns, Menno Vos’ abstract paintings explore texture and color as they relate to the natural world. “Full of color, depth, and sometimes a bit mysterious, my paintings always come from the heart and show who I am and what I love in life,” he says.

Acrylic on Canvas, 39.5″ x 31.5″, $3650 (each)

“Art is a form of human expression. I am not good with words, but in art, I find a true form of self-expression,” says Chinese artist, Chen Jin. His vibrant acrylic paintings reflect the recent modernization and globalization of China within the framework of traditional Chinese arts. Jin’s unique style brings the excitement of a bright new future held in check by a sense of the mysterious.

Figurative Acrylics

Acrylic on Canvas, 39.5″ x 31.5″, $6500 (each)

“My paintings reflect on the conflicts of the human mind with its deepest fears,” explains Ricardo Vivanco whose evocative paintings are both powerful and intriguing. Vivanco is fascinated by the inner lives of people everywhere, and his knowledge and imagination lead him to create pieces with an air of melancholy offset by hope. ” am a physician, a psychiatrist and a painter, but more than anything else, I am myself and my circumstances,” says the artist.

Acrylic on Canvas, 30″ x 40″, $4350 (each)

“Art, to me, first and foremost cathartic. It is a way for me to translate my emotions into a visual form,” says American artist, Frank M. Alba. His thought-provoking acrylic paintings are as imaginative in scope as they are laden with subconscious meaning. “I visualize an image in my mind, dwell over it for days or even weeks and then translate that onto my canvas,” he says, explaining his artistic process.

Acrylic on Canvas, 32″ x 24″, $2650 (each)

Creating a beautiful amalgamation between abstract and figurative paintings, Rita Galambos’ acrylic works are nearly always bound by water, which she sees as conduits for her own emotions. “I try to be very smooth and ethereal with my art,” Galambos says. “I also try to paint fast to ensure my current feelings are captured in the painting.”

Unique Acrylics

Acrylic on Cello, 18″ x 30.5″, $10800 (each)

“I investigate questions about the world through my works – that which is visible and still invisible and that which is audible and yet audible,” says Eunhyue Shin. In her art, many boundaries are crossed—between East and West, abstraction and representation, and music and fine art. Musical instruments figure prominently in her works, whether she is disassembling them to form daring collages on canvas, or is painting on wooden surfaces that take the shape of instruments.

Acrylic on Sewing Jute, 24″ x 29″, $5200 (each)

Heesu Choi brings an entirely new perspective to classic primitivism, infusing it with a fresh vitality, passion, and intensity. Forms are abstract rather than realistic, colors are intense, and lines and geometrical shapes are intricately woven into memorable compositions. The resulting images are stunning in their execution and speak to the deeper truths of our human existence in this world.

Eternally versatile, transform your space with an acrylic painting. Visit ARTmine to view our vast collection!