"Phoenix" Lithograph by Richard Proctor

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An exploration into symbolism and color for this lithograph numbered 2/60, signed and dated by Richard Proctor. The artist, whose … Read more An exploration into symbolism and color for this lithograph numbered 2/60, signed and dated by Richard Proctor. The artist, whose work we regularly feature, offers us a dazzling illustration of art's ability to capture rebirth and metamorphosis.

The legend of the Phoenix, a mythical bird known to die in flames and reappear from the ashes with its ceaseless cycle of death and rebirth, is a metaphor for many tales of transformation and resilience. Semi-abstract art, in particular, with its interaction of shapes and colors, elicits a subjective reaction in the viewer that goes beyond the immediate identification of an image. Proctor's "PHOENIX" lithograph fully exploits this dimension, guiding the eye and the mind through the bold use of color and form. The subtle juxtapositions of hues—the flashes of orange against the depths of mauve, punctuated by the dynamism of yellow and the anchoring of black—don't just strike the eye; they evoke a vibration, a kind of visual musicality that speaks directly to our emotions. Feathers decomposed into colored particles remind us that in movement lies life. A fireworks-like explosion returns the quasi-abstractions to elements both concrete and dreamlike.

Richard Proctor's "PHOENIX" exemplifies how art can communicate universal concepts regardless of cultural and linguistic barriers. Semi-abstract art, by playing on a set of archetypal visual stimuli, can generate a sense of understanding and belonging that rises above subjectivity and becomes part of a global language, offering us a space for dialogue where the visual and the emotional, the symbolic, and the universal, meet. Its title, far from limiting the artistic experience, acts as a key, unlocking not the meaning but the innumerable interpretations that we, as observers, can attribute to it. Art, in its essence, is a communication of experience and meaning, a proposal to humanity to share, recognize, and celebrate the depths and wonders of its existence.

Richard M. Proctor was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1936. After graduating from Michigan State University with an M.A. in Painting, he spent most of his life in the Northwest. Along with teaching art and textile design at the University of Washington, Proctor operated the Childers/Proctor Gallery in Langley, Washington, with fellow artist and long-time partner Ron Childers. He was an Associate Professor Emeritus at the University. Proctor has been a docent at the Palm Springs Art Museum in California since 2001.
Proctor was also an author, accomplished painter, printmaker, and ceramicist. He wrote two books, Principles of Pattern Design and Surface Design for Fabric. Proctor split his time between California and Washington. See less