By Carly Proulx

In 1945 French artist Jean Dubuffet coined the term ‘art brut’ to mean “raw” or “unrefined art” created by individuals working outside of the established cultural mainstream. The English version translates to ‘Outsider Art,’ and its American definition would resolve to account for an even broader range of origin and background. Akin to the work of self-taught artist Eric Whitfield there was a continued evolution of this definition. However, unlike the eight-year gap from ‘art brut’ to ‘outsider,’ Whitfield’s evolution was a span of just three years. The metamorphosis of Whitfield’s work can be seen in the gallery at the Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts on 9/9 through 10/14.

Born in Austin, TX to artist parents and raised in Upstate NY, Whitfield’s childhood spun on the ‘qui vive’ axis of the art world, and he’d become enthralled with all things creative. Though Eric’s been a real live wire in the last few years the MVCA is honored to show Whitfield’s first ever solo exposition. Whitfield refers to his earlier bodies of work as ‘Foyer art,’ a tag he uses to distinguish the works state of being in between, not quite ‘outsider art,’ but not ‘insider art’ either. Though Whitfield has had no formal training he’s very much a man of the world. The term ‘Outsider art’ intended to shine a light mainly on the art of one who trends toward a more sheltered, recluse lifestyle. Part of the September show will comprise of these works.

Whitfield’s father, esteemed artist Doug Whitfield whose paintings are world renowned is still thriving in his art career. As a young artist trying to find his wings, outgrowing his father’s king-sized shadow became a sort of crux in his pursuit of creating art that he could identify as uniquely his own. When I asked him if he still struggled with this he nearly scoffed, but his tone was more teasing than caustic and implied he is far beyond that now. When I asked him how he finally stepped out of this shadow Whitfield divulged it was by “literally working through it.” And with the drive and ardor of one whose just received a second chance at life Whitfield hasn’t stopped working.

Growing up Whitfield learned he could draw things in such a way as to replicate them to a near exact likeness to whatever the image he’d set his eyes on. This would evolve into commissioned drawings and paintings of pet portraits and people, and then one day he discovered not just a niche, but a new title. Every artist has their ritual, and for Whitfield that was drinking coffee, painting, and taking that step back to view his work while puffing on a cigar and watching smoke rings dance across the canvas. Throughout Whitfield’s consecutive 4 year experience at Buffalo Cigar Fest as art vendor his CIGARt has built up quite the following. He was being commissioned by brand owners, and his art landed on the cover of two magazines, both CIGAR PRESS and the TOBACCONIST. Proclaimed the CIGARtist, Whitfield felt the boost in confidence he’d been vying for. “It’s a whole culture and it’s a lot of fun! I’m already starting to get ready for this year’s fest.”

The recognition Whitfield received from people in the cigar/art community was the boiling point. Here’s where Whitfield gets really brave and starts to throw his hat in the art world ring. Whitfield’s “Foyer art’ was the transition from the comfort and safety of creating representational art to the venturing into the more whimsical, the honest, emotional and vulnerable style we get to see in the show. He was free, having fun with these paintings, and the viewer in return gets to feel that freedom, that joy. Being that he’d had experience in selling and art shows he doesn’t feel it’s true outsider art, but by my loosely constructed definition it’s a rather close call if not a free pass entirely.

Whitfield goes from working with a lot of black and white to colors aplenty, and it’s in the world of color he seems to have rooted. A former alcoholic, Whitfield’s been sober for 27 years and as with many a journey to sobriety maintenance he had his good days and bad. Loving husband and father of 3, rather than labeling himself in addiction recovery he considers himself in “life recovery,” and there was a lot of frustration with his art that he’d have to work through. His art was a way of coping with his emotions, life’s uncertainties, and righting the ‘wrongs’ that come with any past laden with some sort of excess. “Painting and creating art is the same reason I drank,” says Whitfield. Essentially, it’s two sides of the same coin. We all find out ways of coping with the world, these cards we’re dealt and for Whitfield he chose the side that fueled his vitality, his growth, and his overall well being. Of that process Whitfield states “As color and freedom found its way into my life, it also crept into my art, resulting in the celebration of life and passion that it has ultimately become.” The effect, is some very powerful art.

Currently Whitfield works in acrylic, incorporating oil pastels, modeling paste and pencil sketches throughout the creating process. “I like to mess around with color and texture,” he says. When I asked him what sets the work in motion Whitfield described the initial process as emotionally charged. “It starts with a feeling which sets the stage for colors, then layering, experimenting with textures. It’s always a surprise,” says Whitfield. He describes the process as taking on a life of it’s own. Whitfield stated “IT goes,” as if ‘it,’ the painting, goes to a place us mere mortals are rarely, if at all capable of accessing. This is Whitfield’s adventures in contemporary abstract, and we’ll get to see a good number of these works at the show. Though Whitfield’s art journey began at the age of 2 and even younger, it is now at 51 where he finds himself truly liberated as an artist. Standing there in Whitfield’s small music-filled studio out of his home in Clinton NY among his current oeuvre I was in awe at the total contrast of various bodies of work. In his more recent paintings we can pick up Miro-esque crumbs, a dreamy ‘Chagall like’ feel in ones that sit on his studio shelves, and others with the playfulness and acid rock jolt of Outsider artist John Van Orsouw. Whitfield jokes, “I’m a 2-year old artist.” He’s a busy one at that.

Contemporary, Neo-Expressionism, Abstract, Outsider/Brut, whatever his art has been described as we, the viewer are invited to be the protagonist for each piece. This is the kind of work you can look at all day, come back the next day and see something totally different. The stories these paintings tell are infinite. Despite the absence of any formal training the viewer would be remiss to overlook glimpses of a fine-tuned talent. This is one of those instances where you just know a lack of formal training proved advantageous. Whether through a youth of observational osmosis; watching the art created by his parents in childhood, from his own life experiences and the natural instinct that informally develops as one keeps resolute in their efforts of tirelessly creating, or a combination of all of these there is clear evidence that Whitfield knows how to apply paint in a way that is aesthetically pleasing as well as emotionally invoking. Due to the spontaneous nature of Whitfield’s process, not knowing where or how the painting will end once it begins I inquired how he knows when to put the brush down and walk away. Whitfield reveals, “They tell me when they’re done, but some don’t ever feel complete.”

Eric is currently represented by the Mineral Point Gallery in Mineral Point, WI as well as the 4 Elements Studio in Utica, NY. Over the years he’s participated in numerous festivals, shows, and pop-up gallery exhibits. Several of his paintings hang in Franca’s Wine Room in Rome, NY, and he’s got a solo show on deck for 2024 at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts in Averill Park, NY. Any success Whitfield has had in his art career beginnings can be attributed solely to his own perseverance, following his intuition and his heart. So far he says the abstract work is what feels closest to coming home as an artist. There are no rules, no guidelines or instruction manual Whitfield follows when creating these paintings. This is the beauty of his work. Whitfield says, “I don’t want to steer the observer in a direction. I like to keep it open.” It allows the viewer to experience the art unfettered with one’s wandering mind and imagination left to take the reigns. You’re airborne, floating in space of Whitfield’s universe. Whitfield describes his inspiration for this work as being derived from a few different things. “Sometimes it’s a shape, sometimes it’s a color, maybe a mood.”

Vartan Poghosian, Owner 4 Elements Studio was dead-center when he recently stated of Whitfield’s work “The painting is comical and honest. It’s worth mentioning that this is somebody to look out for as an artist.” When considering the rapid growth of Whitfield’s work we’re reminded that humans, when we work at it are capable of being the most malleable, transitional, and ever adaptive species on the planet. The show is truly something to behold as it’s a testament to telling ourselves new stories about our world, and our duty to uphold it by breaking free from the one thing that threatens to hold us back, ourselves. Come check out the evolution of Whitfield’s work at MVCA or at Eric Whitfield https://www.facebook.com/Jaclyn.Eric.Whitfield?mibextid=ZbWKwL, or Whitfield’s Art Experience https://www.facebook.com/profile.php? id=100083559742802&mibextid=ZbWKwL.