The Johanson Collection: "Columbine Figure", by Bob Rankin

COLUMBINE FIGURE (2001), BY BOB RANKIN
ACQUIRED FROM THE ARTIST, RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, SEPTEMBER 2001 ACRYLIC ON COMPOSITION BOARD

		The white and lavender columbine (Aquilegia caerules) is the state flower of Colorado. When Bob visited Aspen in the summer of 2001 for an artists' workshop, one of his assignments was to create works that incorporated both local flora and nude figures... so he chose the columbine, a quite spectacular flower. In keeping with Bob's style of painting, the elements in this work tend to be more abstract than representational... you can see two figures, both in purplish tones, in the work, as well as the columbine. I really like the vivid nature of this work... it reminds me of Bob's Rankinsky series. Although this work uses acrylic paint, it almost looks like a watercolor... definitely unusual for Bob. Click here to return to the Collection.