Blase Masini
Abstract Artist
Artist Statement
Each day I strive for order in my life. Each day brings a bit of chaos. Over time I have found that too much order is boring and mundane whereas too much chaos is unsettling. I live out these truths in my art.
For many years I worked with flat geometric planes. This excess of order left me bored after a while. When I first worked with cold wax medium I created rich organic surfaces that I struggled to manage. By using collage and stencils to mask out areas, I learned to introduce order to the organic surfaces cold wax medium afforded me.
Now the painting process holds a constant tension between chaos and order. When shapes flatten or lines are too crisp I am bored. When lines and shapes dissolve I am unsettled. I find that this mimics tension I experience in life.
Artist Bio
Blase is a 1982 graduate of Illinois State University in printmaking. He is a member of the Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists and the Art Center of Highland Park. He has exhibited in juried shows across the country and is a featured artist in a groundbreaking book titled, Cold Wax Medium: Techniques, Concepts & Conversations.
Blase lives in Evanston IL. He worked at Northeastern Illinois University until retiring December 2022.. He is also an avid gardener and baker.