Louis Risoli
Having set aside his characteristic use of shaped canvases, Louis Risoli now plays out the drama within the rectangular stretchers. Risoli composes symphonically, painting with layers of oil, which allows the layer beneath to inform and interact with the next layer. Whereas the paintings have explicit order and balance, they also delight in moments of quirky rapture and mystery. His imagery is composed of complex shapes and colors that become clashing forces. It’s a tenuous relationship, one that could fall apart at any moment.
Risoli uses a complicated visual language of shape and color and atmosphere to create a synergy of visceral and human-made (often architectural) imagery with natural and elementary forces. For example, the coiled shapes of veins and arteries coalesce into whirlwinds and tornadoes, and paint that has been allowed to flow in thin veils and almost random drips may be carefully and deliberately over-painted, preserving its intent while exerting the painter’s control.
Risoli’s colors are often arresting and vibrant, with the potential to imply frivolity and joy, and these are certainly part of the paintings’ appeal; but under-layers of moody, turbulent color often seep or erupt to the surface, disrupting the complicated patterns that Risoli revels in, and hinting at deep emotion and complex passions.
Risoli has an extensive exhibition history and has work in corporate and public collections, including the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts and the Rose Art Museum in Waltham, Massachusetts.
October Lake, 2021, oil on canvas, 40x30"> Inquire Gill Brook, 2022, oil on canvas, 44x30"> Inquire On Roostercomb, 2020, oil on canvas, 40x60"> Inquire Frozen Marsh by the Charles, 2021, oil on canvas, 40x30"> Inquire Lake, 2020, oil on canvas, 30x20"> Inquire Concord River at Great Meadows, 2023, oil on canvas, 40x60"> Inquire Summer Lake, 2021, oil on canvas, 30x40"> Inquire Understory, 2021, oil on canvas, 40x60"> Inquire Walking on the Edge, 2021, oil on canvas, 40x60"> Inquire Budbreak, 2022, oil on canvas, 40x60" Sold> Inquire August Lake, 2021, oil on canvas, 40x60"> Inquire Moonrise, 2021, oil on canvas, 26x20"> Inquire Quarry, 2020, oil on canvas, 40x30" Sold> Inquire E Tu, 2018, oil on canvas, 72x54" Sold> Inquire Chaortic, 2018, oil on canvas, 72x51"> Inquire Friend of Judy, 2018, oil on canvas, 72x51"> Inquire Chrystalisman, 2018, oil on canvas, 72x48"> Inquire Chrystalisman 4, 2018, oil on canvas, 48x36" Sold> Inquire Step, 2018, oil on canvas, 48x36"> Inquire Ruined Painting, 2018, oil on canvas, 48x36"> Inquire RP2, 2017, oil on linen, 34x24" Sold> Inquire Sweet Tea, 2016, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Sweet Jayne Mansfield, 2015, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Weird Gillie, 2015, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Dickcissel, 2015, oil on canvas, 72x48"> Inquire It's Not What You Think, 2015, oil on canvas, 72x48"> Inquire Godot-No Go, 2015, oil on canvas, 10x14" Sold> Inquire Lola Means Well, 2015, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Red Plots Green's Revenge, 2015, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Black Heat, 2015, oil on canvas, 72x48"> Inquire Bonnie's Bitch Fit, 2015, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Quantum Communication, 2015, oil on canvas, 84x64"> Inquire Schubert In-Out, 2015, oil on canvas, 10x14" Sold> Inquire Starman, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Wishing Well, 2014, oil on canvas, 72x48" Sold> Inquire Twisty in Third Person, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Sixteen and Savage, 2014, oil on canvas,10x14"> Inquire Swissiswippi, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Moon Becomes Mars, 2014, oil on canvas, 72x48"> Inquire Stone Love, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14" Sold> Inquire PX I Love You, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14" Sold> Inquire Beethoven on the Rocks, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14" Sold> Inquire Birdbrain, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14" Sold> Inquire Birdlandia, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Frou Frou Valentine, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Birdlust, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Form Suited to Situation, 2014, oil on canvas, 46x30" Sold> Inquire Eat Fudge not War, 2014, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Planet of the Pussycats, 2013, oil on canvas, 10x14" Sold> Inquire Home/Homer/Homo, 2013, oil on canvas, 10x14" Sold> Inquire Making Love to Gooney Bird, 2013, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire Loving Suzie Sweet Tea, 2013, oil on canvas, 10x14" Sold> Inquire Dovetailed, 2013, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire A Moment with Marilyn, 2013, oil on canvas, 10x14" Sold> Inquire Ode to Billy Joel, 2013, oil on canvas, 10x14"> Inquire
Louis Risoli
Having set aside his characteristic use of shaped canvases, Louis Risoli now plays out the drama within the rectangular stretchers. Risoli composes symphonically, painting with layers of oil, which allows the layer beneath to inform and interact with the next layer. Whereas the paintings have explicit order and balance, they also delight in moments of quirky rapture and mystery. His imagery is composed of complex shapes and colors that become clashing forces. It’s a tenuous relationship, one that could fall apart at any moment.
Risoli uses a complicated visual language of shape and color and atmosphere to create a synergy of visceral and human-made (often architectural) imagery with natural and elementary forces. For example, the coiled shapes of veins and arteries coalesce into whirlwinds and tornadoes, and paint that has been allowed to flow in thin veils and almost random drips may be carefully and deliberately over-painted, preserving its intent while exerting the painter’s control.
Risoli’s colors are often arresting and vibrant, with the potential to imply frivolity and joy, and these are certainly part of the paintings’ appeal; but under-layers of moody, turbulent color often seep or erupt to the surface, disrupting the complicated patterns that Risoli revels in, and hinting at deep emotion and complex passions.
Risoli has an extensive exhibition history and has work in corporate and public collections, including the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, Massachusetts and the Rose Art Museum in Waltham, Massachusetts.