Shape, Form, and Color

Exhibit Details

July 17, 2021 - October 31, 2021
Armstrong Gallery

There are seven essential elements of art which outline the fundamental components of an artwork. These include color, line, shape, form, value, texture, and space. We often judge an artwork by how effectively the artist uses these elements. This exhibit will explore three of the seven elements.

Shape can be defined as an enclosed area of space created through lines and combined with other compositional elements. Shapes can be geometric or free form, sometimes described as organic. Look for these types of shapes demonstrated in Joseph A. Cain’s The Indian Chief.

Form is closely related to shape except that form always creates the illusion of being three-dimensional. Great examples of this illusion are seen in George Dombek’s On Washington Street and Alfred Crimi’s Mobile and Variable.

Color is perceived by the way it reflects or emits light and includes the properties of hue, value, and intensity. Color is used to provide realistic effects, convey emotion, create a mood, or complement the surroundings. Notice the use of color, or lack thereof, in this collection of 19 works, including a painting by Deborah Weisel, the founder of the Springfield Art Museum.

This exhibition is the seventh in a series, focusing on various artists, styles, and trends, pulled exclusively from the Springfield Art Museum's outstanding collection of contemporary American watermedia. This exhibit was guest curated by Cindy Quayle, Exhibitions Manager.