Painter Lorraine Folb – born and raised in South Africa, now based in Sydney, Australia – moves between expressionism and abstraction in warm-colored mixed-media canvases. Generally dominated by alternately bold and subdued earth tones, her purified figures often recall the shorthand symbols of Joan Miró's late work: slender parallel lines simply adorned succinctly evoke the human form; colorful squares bisected by tall rectangles conjure homes with open doors and a welcoming, communal warmth. In other works any distinction between figure and ground breaks down, and Folb gives her forms over to the free play of abstraction.
Many of her expressionist works refer to her native South Africa, depicting traditional artifacts and objects, and rituals of rural life. These works also connect Folb's country of origin and adoptive Australia, both of which feature massive earthy, sun-scorched, expansive landscapes in their interiors. Her abstracted works, meanwhile, maintain a similar palette and style but offer more opportunity for contemplation, guiding the eye gently across their various planes.
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