Canvas 125, 2020

Cy Seymour  

Artist Statement:

Cy Seymour is 92 years of age. He started painting in the year 2014. 

Although Cy attended art school in his youth, his first career was in advertising. After working at many high profile New York City agencies, Cy set up his own shop which excelled over 40 years. It was the 1960s and 70s, and the “Golden Age of Advertising" was in full swing. “My agency created work for prestigious accounts such as Chanel, Revlon, and the original Volkswagen Beetle, as well as movie titles for Planet of the Apes, among many others. I guess you can say I was one of the original 'Mad Men'." 

After Cy retired, he played tennis and golf like most folk in Florida where he is based and which he greatly enjoyed. However he was craving something more, something creative from his past which he knew was missing from his life. On a whim he purchased a blank canvas, rented a studio and the rest we say is living history…

Cy's large scale contemporary abstract expressionist paintings evoke the abstract expressionism made popular by Jackson Pollock in the 1940s and 50s. Like Pollock's famous “drip" technique, Cy's process is intensely physical, with the artist layering a palette of colors onto a large canvas laid out on the floor. “I sometimes think my refined technique is how Pollock may have evolved had he lived longer," says Cy. “And the constant movement around the canvas certainly keeps me fit!"

“I've always been fascinated by the power of color and how it affects people. Each painting tells a different story - there's no repetition." I spend countless hours arranging different color schemes and see how I feel as a result. As I paint vivid memories and visions come back to life which is a cathartic experience and when I stand back and look at a finished painting, I feel great relief. In turn, I aim to project that experience on to my viewers. 

My goal is to simultaneously challenge the eye as well as the soul."

Because Cy's diverse use of infinite colour combinations would complement many types of decor, from modern to traditional, beach & coastal to mountain view and urban industrial, his pieces not only tie a room together but also elevate and refine a space. Cy's art is also starting to capture the attention of local interior designers and who specialise in hospitality, commercial, corporate as well as home decor. One of his paintings is also due to be auctioned off at the annual glamorous 'Hope Bash 2022' for the 'Place of Hope' Charity at Trump National in Jupiter Florida.

Private Collections: Florida, New York, Texas, England

Education:

Self-taught

Awards & Distinctions:

Florida-based VoyageMIA Magazine
December 2021: 


Moon Community Club, an exclusive private members-only online club targeted to an Arabic audience:
February 2022


Place of Hope Charity:
February 2022
One of Cy's paintings will be auctioned off at the prestigious 16th annual 'Hope Bash' at Trump National Country Club in Jupiter, Florida by the esteemed charity, Place of Hope:

Artistic Influences:

Abstract expressionism, Van Gogh, Wassily Kandinsky, Mark Rothko, Marc Chagall

Tags:

Contemporary, abstract, colorful, large scale, impressionistic, expressionism