The Paintings of Chris Ronk

Thoughtful, almost delicate, juxtapositions of color and shape dominate the surfaces of Christopher Ronk’s work with an energy that reverberates as it soothes. An immediate connection between the artist and the viewer is made through deliberate applications of pigment and form onto richly textured surfaces. His aim is to create a sense of precision and order in a chaotic world.

Ronk’s work is not so much inspired by his difficult upbringing in the impoverished neighborhoods of Long Beach, California, as it is a reaction to those often brutal environments. He never quite fit into the coarse reality of his youth, but ironically, Ronk continues to find himself somewhat detached from the more affluent world outside of it. Having made peace with the demons of his past, he now creates art that reveals a sense of inner peace and serene beauty.

Emotions run deep, yet still, in Ronk’s work. As an artist, he longs for a sense of symmetry, sequence and harmony, but these things do not always come easily. Although he strives for meticulous order, his work ultimately remains flawed. It is in this tension, between his desire for perfection and the ultimately flawed reality of the finished piece, where the true beauty of his work lies.

His subtly textured minimalist colorscapes and bold type influenced paintings echo and oppose the multiplicity of visual stimuli encountered in city life overwhelmed by noise, poverty, excess and an over dependence on technology. Influenced heavily by nature, the human form, architecture, advertising, and typography— Ronk creates visual experiences that viewers are subconsciously familiar with and inexplicably drawn to. Intentional, yet often contradictory, use of symmetry and imbalance, repetition and uncluttered space, rich palettes and monochromatic schemas, all exist within his work. Serenity amongst the chaos, Ronk’s art invites a deeply meditative pause that never ceases to captivate.

Written by Terry Lee Stone - Artcenter College of Design-Pasadena