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FromIMacchiaiolitoAmericanVerismo: JerryRossandaNewApproachtoPleinAirPainting byLukeFannin EugeneartistJerryRossremembersgettingtheItalybugmorethan20yearsago.Hedbeen workingasadataprocessingmanageranddecidedtoattendaconferenceononlineeducation inBari,Italy.Heandhiswifehavevisitedregularlyeversince,attimesstayingformonthsata stretch.WhilehisloveaffairwithallthingsItalianhasledtomanyimpressiveexperiencesand accomplishmentseverythingfromsoloexhibitionsattheAmericanconsulateinMilan,to honorarymembershipinthe361stInfantryBattalion(AmericanveteransofWWIIwhofoughtin Italy),toaninternationaleconomicsconferencepresentationonglobaltechnologyand GramscianphilosophyitalsoexposedMr.RosstotheinfluenceoftheIMacchiaioli Movement,aschoolofimpressionismborninTuscanyinthemid19thcentury. Asaresultofthisinfluenceandhisownresearch,Mr.Rosshascreatedhisownmovement, somethinghecallsAmericanverismo,whichfocusesontheuseofeverydaylifeandactions inartisticwork.ThemovementisaresponsetowhatMr.Rossviewsasthelifelessnessof realismandtheconventionsandcontrivanceswhichhavesprungfromit.[Americanverismo]is morethanjustrealism,hesays.Itsaboutgettingdownwithpeople,empathizingwiththe subject. Mr.RosshasalsoformedagroupcalledClubMacchia,anallaperto(orpleinair)artgroup looselybasedaroundhisownteachingsandtheideasbehindIMacchiaioliandAmerican verismo.TheItaliantermmacchia,fromwhichboththeIMacchiaiolimovementandClub Macchiaderivetheirnames,translatesvariouslyasspotorpatch,pattern,andsketch.All
ExperimentalLandscapeI.AllimagesJerryRoss.Usedwithpermission.
[Inalandscapepainting,]youstartwiththefirstdivision:landandsky,explainsMr.Ross. Withinthosedivisionsaresmallerdivisions,smallershapes.Theseemergeasapatternof crispgeometricshapesinsteadofdetailedindividualobjects.Allthisisdonewithbroad,visible brushstrokeswhichimpartanoticeabletexturedeffect,somethingMr.Rossdescribesasclose poetry.Inthismanner,theartistcapturesthevisualessenceandimpactofascenewithout gettingboggeddownindetails. Tosome,Mr.Rossstyleproducespaintingswhichmayseemunfinished,whichhefully accepts.Hiscounterargumentisthatintheprocessoffinishing,artiststendtolosetheinitial spontaneityandimpactthatwasintheoriginalconceptandwork.ThefoundersoftheI Macchiaiolimovement,hecontends,wantedapaintingtosmellofthefieldsandfarmanimals, tohavemoreofanessenceoftheearth.Sotheyhavearougheredge. Itsanideathatisappealingtomany,butdifficulttoputitintopractice.Toomanyartistsgethung upontheconventionsoftraditionalrealism,andthoughMr.Rossdoesnotobjecttothoseon principle,hebecomesfrustratedwhenworkbecomesstatic,stagnant,anduniform.Itsa symptomofAmericanpragmatism,hesays.Somethingistrueifitworks,especiallyifitworks foryou.Butwhatisgoingtodistinguishyourworkfromeverybodyelse?Ifyoudonthaveideas original,wellthoughtoutideasthatarentjustsomethingyoutossaroundinyourheadbut actuallyenterintotheworkthenyoucantstandout.Youhavenothingtosay.
CinqueTerre.AllimagesJerryRoss.Usedwithpermission.