Charles Arnoldi
Arnoldi's three dimensional stick pieces were conceived in the late 1960s when there was a strong movement against painting – it was widely considered irrelevant. Arnoldi went on to explore new and different materials which would satisfy his creative sensibility, and applied an underlying interest in painting to found tree branches.
The branches evoked a gestural quality, suggesting conotations with charcoal drawing and brushstrokes. The branches were joined to form seemingly simple linear shapes, and then painted. Rather than attempt to create an illusion, these works were directed at creating a conversation with the physical space in which they exist.
Arnoldi's experimentation and work with wood would continue for another twenty years.