presents

WILLIAM STOCK RATHBUN The range of William Rathbun's work cannot be embraced easily or quickly. There is a very evident continuity and cohesiveness in the development of his handling of line, color, and space throughout the decades, even as he has moved through presentation genres in the quest to express his idea in the manner and medium which might prove the most pliant and transparent. Among his most significant work is the development of idea represented in the abstract - expressionist paintings he has produced over a 30-year period. In a grouping the unmistakeable lines, contours and shadows of a life of reflection and observation become evident. To focus on this work, please click on the image below. Rathbun's last dozen years or so have been largely committed to perfecting and broadening his mastery and expression in neon glass. These light-enhanced sculptures and collages, which also express the personal spacial and color vision of this idea progression, range from 2 to 14 feet in size; they are are intense, autobiographical, and introspective, employing created and found art and artifacts in order to reference personal and American history. In any room, each piece presents as a brilliantly-costumed actor in motion. His concepts have morphed along the journey — from the individual boxed or framed piece to combinations, collections, or "combines: pf pieces which together produce an environment in which memory. emotion, sex, art, motion, and the brilliance of light all play a role. There are recurring themes and some of the newer pieces form series in which each piece is a stand-alone chapter in a continuing exploration of a theme. To review these pieces please click on the image below. Rathbun's non- Neon Sculptures have always demonstrated the versatility and mastery of sculpted space which he is now pushing to other limits in glass. These forms move from "traditional" into semi-abstract, from playful into bizarre, from elegant into fantasy. They range in size from several inches to 4 feet and employ wood, cardboard, rubber, tin, and the other found or constructed objects which turn up in the neons. They include carved chess sets, hanging flower-golders, collages made of Hallowe'en masks, "day of the dead" totems about 6" high, and other forms representing emotions from the impulse of a day to the creative monologue of a decade. To review these pieces pleae click on the image below. Other 2-Dimensional Work: There are a lifetime of other paintings: they range widely in style, feeling, and inspiration. We present here the small-town romance of the County Fair series; the commemoration of changing nature in the semi-abstract MOUNTAIN AND FOREST works; the drama and passion of paintings which are religiously-inspired; and there are a dozen portfolios of Fantasy Paintings on Paper, from 5" x 7" to 9" x 12", available upon request. ... And there are the PAPER NEONS: ...a group of silver-washed paintings on paper, dramatic in their linear simplicity, brilliant in quicksilver color-- a precursor in inspiration, or perhaps a "warm-up", to Rathbun's current work in neon glass. (CLICK ON ANY IMAGE ABOVE to LINK to the PAINTINGS.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We present on this site only a portion of the paintings available; prices range from $ 135 to $ 13,000. Each of the links above will take you to the section where that genre is represented, and by clicking on any image link on each page you will be transported to the purchase section where you may use our secure server to order. Or use the link below to inquire and request more images, information.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ recent RATHBUN exhibits ARTSHIP sponsored THE NEONS at PARADISE CITY ARTS FESTIVAL in Northampton, MA, in May 2008... ...and at the Northampton show in October. We are presently looking forward to a significant 2010 exposure of this work, watchfully following the trends and interests of carefully selected New England and New Yorkvenues to be sure they would be appropriate for the genres. The paintings need to be revealed to the very significant portion of collectors who find value, excitement and revelation in the abstract-expressionism vision which transformed our world and continues to dominate the mainstream today. The light-enhanced collages, combines, scuptures and environments need to be revealed to those who long for the light and for the form, perhaps having failed so far to find that perfect combination of aggressive idea and dazzle in the work being exhibited today. We would welcome serious inquiries into the possibility of exhibit in 2010 and onward.  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ To comment on this artist or inquire please or CALL TOLL-FREE: 866-494-6589 ... and return here to check on progress of publication of Rathbun's BOOK later in 2010: AN ART ODYSSEY  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~