Volk

Born in October 1962 in Deadwood, South Dakota, Volk developed his creative talents in Colorado, California and Oregon. Following his studies at university, Volk launched his professional painting career and began creating a style of abstract expressionism evocative of the master 20th Century colour-field artists or the subtle layered complexity of the abstractionist Mark Rothko. A bold palette of vibrant colours and a broad sweep of textural excitement are the signature of Volk's abstract works. It is no wonder he derives his inspiration from the paintings of Diebenkorn, Max Beckmann, Degas and Franz Kline. A self-confessed lover of beauty, literature and music, Volk believes in the "art" behind the making of art. "For me, art is like a philosophy", the artist elaborates. "It's about achieving a balance between what is realistic and what is abstract. The line between the two is very fine. What interests me is making things recognisable from things you don't recognise, using a visual vocabulary to make it clear. Abstract expressionism, for me, is abstracting what is real and evoking an emotion towards that reality." Volk prefers working in oils and acrylic paint and, when he is not painting, he enjoys reading, writing, ceramics and golf.