SUBTLE NUANCES OF COLOR:
John Thein's Intricate Blends-Printmaker

John Thein works and teaches at Creighton University in Omaha. His work is figurative and abstract. You can also see an influence of Asian art. There is a feeling of motion in Thein's multiple images. The colors and balance sometimes create a somber... sometimes a delightful experience. John Thein spent over sixteen years as a print-maker working only in black and white and shades of gray. He says he was intimidated by the complexity of color. But today, color excites him."
[John Thein] "I really... I love it. I love the sense of starting to go out and work with that sense of color. And how do I develop color? It's definitely instinct. It's all instinct for me. Again, I would say that if I'm working with warmth I'm going to find a cool someplace also. Because it's like if you have too much pepper you need a little bit of salt, you know what I mean? You need... you need for your own sense to be able to walk that tightrope and balance it out as you're going along."
This work, Sound Fall One, is a part of the Sheldon Collection. In this early triptych Thein chose to work in deep tones, dark shades, and subtle colors. The effect is somber, mysterious, intriguing.