Ilana Bloch

The inspiration for my recent paintings comes from images of landscapes; the urban landscape and the narrative of my "inner landscape." Within these worlds I express my vision of the intertwined tensions between beauty, spirituality, and turmoil, which are reflective of the inherent struggle of life. Using recognizable but abstracted imagery against the flat surface of two dimensional space, shifting figure-ground relationships, creates a "push-pull" effect suggesting a deeper internal dialogue within representational and non-objective formal painting.

My turning to the subject of landscape came from a need to connect with the natural order as a way of healing myself. Adding structures represents my strength growing out of the process as well as the strength of form through the power of the cityscape. I express the life energy of the landscape using gestural brushwork. The gestural freedom is juxtaposed against areas of intricate detailed passages. An atmospheric light quality created with bold color and high contrast gives the paintings a glow that reflect the joyfulness of life, while the darker tones of forms intimate the frustration and anguish in life. All of these elements combine to create a charged sensual image.

As a formal element, rhythmic pattern brings structural organization to the paintings, capturing the pulse of the city. As an artist I am engaged with the historical tradition of pattern painting as it integrates with my own early history. In moving from Czechoslovakia to the Mediterranean and Mideastern influences of Israel, I retained memories of visual patterns – the Persian rugs of my home and of the Czech and Mideastern folk arts. The geography of the landscape has had a profound impact on my life and my work. The patterns of the Los Angeles urban landscape are a powerful influence on my visual geography. Incorporating a border, a window effect, invites my viewer to take an intimate glimpse into my personal world.

Ilana Bloch was born in Prague and raised in Israel. At the age of 12 her family moved to Los Angeles where she later received her BFA and teaching credentials at Cal State University Northridge.

The inspiration for Ilana?s paintings comes from images of landscapes; the urban landscape and the narrative of her ?inner landscape.? Within these worlds she expresses her vision of the intertwined tensions between beauty, spirituality, and turmoil, which are reflective of the inherent struggle of life. She expresses the life energy of the landscape using gestural brushwork. The gestural freedom is juxtaposed against areas of intricate detailed passages. An atmospheric light quality created with bold color and high contrast gives her paintings a glow. All of these elements combine to create a charged sensual image.