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Map of the Universe, 4' x 5', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [Collection of T.S. Crawford]

IMPASTO is spotlighting two painters, Fippypopulosa and Sal-Marí, whose works in oil on canvas span the universe of painting styles from abstraction, abstract realism to realistic abstraction.         The large-scale oil painting, Map of the Universe, (above) is a masterful example of the impasto technique. The sheer size of the work draws in the eyes of the viewer. Only by standing close to the actual painting do you see that it is composed of extremely fine, swirling brushstrokes that give a roiling, turbulent impression to the painting. Fippypopulosa creates subtle and magical arabesques that play upon the pattern-matching capabilities of the human brain, suggesting shapes and images that play in the viewer's imagination, causing the same person to see something new everytime they look at it. A piece that demands this much will please the viewer in direct proportion to their capability and willingness to engage their imagination and right-brain thinking. The artist insisted in an interview with Impasto that an artist who wished to create a new kind of art had only one recourse: follow their instincts. “The art must be indigenous to the artist,” Fippypopulosa said. “It must come from deep inside you without filtration or dilution.”

Sentience, 3'x2', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [Collection of T.S. Crawford]

THE DETAIL on this painting shows the impasto effect that has become Fippypopulosa’s trademark. Sentience was produced while Fippypopulosa lived in Houston, Texas. Fippypopulosa explained that, at the time, the Houston Museum of Fine Art was in the process of hosting two magnificent loaner shows, first from the Musee D'Orsee in Paris, then from the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The concentration of works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, Chagall and Cezanne had a powerful effect on him. "I went right home and began Sentience."

Lucifer (head), 8'x2', acrylic on canvas, Fippypopulosa [Collection of A.E. Thariani]

THE THREE images (one above and two below) come from the large-scale work, Lucifer by Fippypopulosa. The original is eight-feet by two feet. The detail in the middle picture has been interpreted to represent the angel feathers that Lucifer supposedly shed when he abandoned the life of a angel in heaven for that of a devil in hell. The original has a deeply ethereal feel. Fippypopulosa completed this painting in the Fall of 2004 in Salt Lake City. It has been exhibited publically in the Midwest since early 2005.

Lucifer (feathers), 8'x2', acrylic on canvas, Fippypopulosa [Collection of A.E. Thariani]

Lucifer, 8'x2', acrylic on canvas, Fippypopulosa [Collection of A.E. Thariani]

Primordial Soup, 5'x2.5', acrylic on canvas, Fippypopulosa [$755.00]

THIS is the largest acrylic painting that Fippypopulosa has done since 2004.

Alligator, 2'x1.5', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [$515.00]

WITH YOUR FINGER, hide the caption for the painting above. With the name safely hidden, use your imagination. What does this painting represent?

Bears Are Not Allowed to Ice Skate, 4'x3', oil on canvas (rabbit-skin ground), Fippypopulosa [Collection of K. Westfall]

THIS PIECE is a mass of exquisite detail whose meaning is hidden when the detail can be seen. Stepping back, the meaning of the piece appears. Stop reading if you don't want to have the image contained in this painting forever implanted into your consciousness. Stop now, because I will direct your attention to the ocher profile of the bear and the arm, stretching across the canvas telling that bear and the one behind him that they are forbidden from ice skating on this pond. We see the skate of the rear bear, and the etched lines from the skates in the ice.

Rabbit Fleeing Tsunami, 4'x1.5', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [Collection M.J. Hunter]

LIKE EVERYONE ELSE on the planet, we were captivated with news and video of the inundation and tsunami in Indonesia. As a by product of this captivation, Fippypopulosa produced the following painting, Rabbit Fleeing Tsunami, 3’ x 18”, oil on canvas.

Ejaculation, 4'x2', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [$1,105.00]

THIS LARGE OIL painting speculates on the nature of those marvelous packages--sperm. It is possible to align the faces on the various wiggly-tails with the faces on the penises and, of course, the human, Ejaculation, 4’ x 2', oil on canvas (rabbit-skin ground).

No Blue Sky For The Dove, 4'x2', oil on canvas (rabbit-skin ground), Fippypopulosa [$1,261.00]

A NEW STYLE in painting, No Blue Sky For The Dove combined an evocative bit of realism with Fippypopulosa's trademark impasto. Here, the inciting idea was to show the moment when an animal--in this case a white dove--seen flying across the blurry canvas as there lays, waiting, the snake. This painting represents the moment in time when the dove learns whether it can see some blue sky.No Blue Sky For The Dove, 4’ x 2', oil on canvas (rabbit-skin ground).

Chakra, 2'x1.5', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [$355.00]

THIS PAINTING was created quickly in an effort to capture the metaphysical nature of a chakra, its ephemeral subject, Chakra, 2’ x 1.5', oil on canvas.

The She Atheist, 1'x1.5', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [Collection of T.S. Crawford]

IT MAY COME as a surprise, but this painting is a copy of an early representational work by Picasso. , The She Atheist, 1.5’ x 1', oil on canvas.

The Death of God, 2'x1', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [$666.00]

A CONCEPT PAINTING, the idea for it occurred to Fippypopulosa, "What would happen when God died. It's a moment never even contemplated." Fippypopuloas executed a rare attempt at representational work to explore the idea. Without doubt, this painting has proved disturbing to people of faith for the ideas it stimulates. The Death of God, 2’ x 1.5', oil on canvas.

Twin Peaks, 1'x1', oil on canvas (rabbit-skin ground), Fippypopulosa [$270.00]

THIS IS A SMALL oil, a pure example of Fippypopula's method which can be seen in his carefully modulated brush-strokes that contain thick impasto that justifies close inspection. Twin Peaks, 1’ x 1', oil on canvas (rabbit-skin ground).

Training Swim, 1.5'x1', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [$395.00]

THIS SUBTLE OIL--which is seen best in bright light--was executed in Houston, Texas. The subject matter is better seen in the original. It presents the most ephemeral of images: a mother dolphin giving her young a training swim. Look into the blue ocean. Think: if you painted a realistic painting of two dolphins swimming under the surface, what would it look like? See if you can understand why it is called Training Swim. This type of painting requires the kind of pattern matching that is done effortlessly by right-brained thinkers and with difficulty by left-brained thinkers. Training Swim 1.5’ x 1', oil on canvas.

Natasha (work in progress), 2'x4', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [Not yet available]

A WORK in progress in a more realistic vein, Natasha, 2’ x 4', oil on canvas.

No, Explained, 2'x1', oil on canvas, Fippypopulosa [$199.00]

ANOTHER CONCEPT PAINTING that was intended almost as a joke, No, Explained, 2’ x 1', oil on canvas.

End Times (work in progress), 5'x2.5', oil on canvas (rabbit-skin ground), Fippypopulosa [Not yet available]

THIS IS THE MOST recent painting by Fippypopulosa. It depicts the moment when life on earth is snuffed out, the time when death (canvas right) stalks the living. Even the new life (canvas left) feels the pain. End Times, 5’ x 2.5', oil on canvas (rabbit-skin ground).

The Cossacks, 2.5'x1.5', acrylic on canvas board, Fippypopulosa [Collection of D.M. Merrick]

THIS VINTAGE painting was painted in 1983 in Ames, Iowa. At the time, Fippypopulosa had just commenced his obsession with Leo Tolstoy and all things Tolstoyan. As any one of that ilk knows, The Cossacks is the name of the short novel Tolstoy completed right before he embarked on his magnum opus, War and Peace.        Although the visual references within this painting are no less obscure than for any other abstract, Fippypopulosa reports this painting was inspired by The Cossacks. He had many friends who were painters in the traditional, realistic sense. Fippypopulosa picked up a brush and began his unique style of abstracts. The essence of this style can only be seen by examining his paintings closely, looking at the brushwork which is laid with precision. His technique is clearly in evidence in this 1983 work. Later works, such as those above, are an elaboration of his original style.        As artists, our contribution to our time and art are not counted by the number of paintings we get done, or even the number of masterpieces we create. Rather, out contribution will be measured against our originality. Paint all the damn paintings you want. If they're not original, nobody will care. As painters, our task is not to master our technique, it is to be original. Only as your technique enables you to be original does it matter.      Originality is the only thing that counts. The Cossacks, 2.5’ x 1.5', acrylic on canvas board.