Folly!

If you look up the word,”folly” in the dictionary, be sure to skip down to the definition that relates to “architecture”. It goes like this:

A whimsical or extravagant structure built to serve as a conversation piece, lend interest to a view, commemorate a person or event, etc.: found especially in England in the 18th century.

Except for the part about England in the 18th century, this definition does much to describe the latest work of Kyle Ragsdale in his November show called, “Folly”. The work and the inspiration for the collection is a celebration of generous and excessive beauty.

The inspiration for this show emerged for Kyle during his recent Vermont Studio Center Residency in Johnson, Vermont. Exposure to a number of different elements eventually solidified into a vision of celebrating the need to embellish, decorate, beautify and flourish, even when one’s circumstances are less than perfect. These paintings are informed by a fascination with complicated wooden spaces, thickets, swamps, etc. as well as the fascinating collections that Kyle viewed at the Shelburne Museum and the impression they had on him.

As an intuitive painter, Kyle uses his paint brush to express what he is inspired by, as opposed to planning out a composition and then following a plan. His work is as spontaneous and as fresh as ever, and his magical landscapes and characters suggest poignant stories of people whose hopeful spirits cause them to decorate their surroundings in spite of their uncertain futures. The images of people in the tops of trees and precarious wooden structures give no explanation as to why they’re there or if it is going to work out. The images aren’t meant to tell us exactly what’s going on. They are only clues in a story that we get to make up for ourselves or to wonder about.

What I especially love about this collection is the color story. Kyle calls the colors, “quiet”, with pops of brighter colors. I feel as if they create a calm yet mysterious backdrop for the story of these characters. The compositions are decidedly vertical, and I love the way it makes for the feeling that these trusting people are bold enough to keep climbing upward, spreading ridiculous, excessive beauty as they go. I am also a fan of Kyle’s beautiful monotypes which combine various printmaking styles, patterns and repeating themes to create fresh images.

Kyle says that the point of the work is not to tell the viewer what is happening, but to make us wonder. It seems very natural to view this work with a sense of wonder. I find it refreshing to think of commemorating the celebration of beauty, and I consider it a very worthwhile folly to keep present in my own vision moving forward.