Athen Scene

To view a work by artist Stan Mullins is to step into a world of color, imagination, and grand possibility. His large, chaotic canvases tumble with color and movement, and never fail to surprise with their compelling mix of sweeping emotionalism and grand passion. In his brief thirty years, Mullins has taken the notion of odyssey to a new level of activity; his travels have taken him through Europe to study with Renaissance Masters and to the war torn country of Rwanda to create artworks among the mountain gorillas and indigenous peoples. His paintings are always a personal elegy to the universal melodies that Mullins hears as he travels the world.

Mullins’ work is driven by a deeply personal philosophy of artist as healer, visionary, and catalyst for spiritual change. Using a Renaissance, narrative style as a point of inspiration, Mullins’ bravura brush work and bold color create works which are rooted in formal tradition yet startlingly modern. His swirling compositions may include heroic figures in traditional garbs, jungle and plains animals, children, ancient ruins, and glorious flora, each exhibiting a compelling spirit and personality. For Mullins, each painting describes a unique view into the nature of life, and each acts as a prism which refracts essential elements of spiritual reality that affects each viewer deeply and repeatedly.

Mullins works primarily in oil on canvas, but has expanded into the disciplines of sculpture, literature, and film. Frequently featured on CNN, Mullins has exhibited widely both in the United States and abroad, from the French Cultural Center in Kigali, Rwanda to various galleries throughout Italy. Recently Mullins collaborated on a children’s book with screenwriter Neil ” Doc Hollywood ” Shulman. His original paintings are the centerpiece for Under The Backyard Sky, a story about an American girl and a Maasai girl who come to understand each other through remarkable circumstances.

Mullins holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Masters of Fine Arts degrees from the University of Georgia, and he is the executive director for the Athens Center for International Arts, in Athens, Georgia.STAN MULLINS

650 Pulaski Street Athens, Georgia, 30601

Artist’s Perspective:

My paintings serve as expressions that reflect a sensitive impulse based on my subjective experiences. There is always a serious urge for me to visually examine and explore or even question the dynamics of human existence, including natural forces such as rivers, the sun, the wind, land, vegetation, the sky and other aspects of our natural domain. My reponse to this impulse or urge has created in me a continual visual celebration that is intended to capture the spiritual essence of man and nature. With all sincerity, I have come to accept that all these elements are sacred phenomena. Therefore, it is essential for human beings to maintain a special relationship with the forces in nature in order to acheive both physical and spiritual harmony.

“Oshun: Godess of Peace”
Oil on Canvas, 1994
36″ x 48″

Creative ideas for my paintings are inspired by my cultural upbringing: a powerful African influence that is grounded in profound ancestral spiritualism. The aesthetic focus of my work is guided by the Yoruba traditional philosophies while the mediums, styles, and techniques remain Western.

“Grandma’s Wisdom”
Acrylics on Canvas, 1996
38″ x 47″

The use of traditional symbolisms, expresseve imageries and vibrant couors in my paintins are promenent elements that are emphasized to create a serious aesthetic dialogue, The intent is to communicate deep emotions and evoke meaningful aesthetic responses while creating poetic metaphors. The use of vivid colors is more than a visual feast; it is intended to fi8ll the soul with a dynamic spirirual experience.

“Patches of Wisdom”
Acrylics on Canvas, 1996
32″ x 38″

I believe in fervor and visual metaphors as I continue to experiment with lyrical forms, rhythms and dramatic movements to achieve artistic proficiency and a spiritual balance.

“Puberty #3: Coming of Age”
Acrylic on Canvas, 1994
36″ x 48″

Tunde AFolayan Famous, Jr. was born in Nigeria. He recieved his formal training at Yaba College of Arts and Technology in Lagos, Nigeria. He completed his graduate studies in Art Education at the University of Missouri, Columbia, Mo.

His works present critical cultural dialogues through a variety of mediums including oils, acrrylics, wotercolors, pastels, serigraphs, monoprints and mixed-techniques.

In addition to his independent practice. Afolayan, an experienced educator, has taught art in American and Nigerian schools. He has conducted several Artist-In-School residencies throughout the states of Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. He is curreently engaged in a series of workshops in Atlanta through the High Museum of Art, the Bureau of Cultural Affairs – City of Atlanta, the Fulton County Arts Council and Soapstone Center for the Arts in DeKalb County, Ga. Afolayan works with divers qroups of students ranging from children to senior citizens.

He is reprented in Atlanta by Montanette Jones of the MUSART Inc., (404) 355-2783.

“Reunion”
Acrylic on Canvas, 1996
36″ x 38″