Rough Waters

About

Rue Bootay’s "Rough Waters" is a 30 x 30-inch mixed-media painting that blends Cubist abstraction with figurative storytelling. The artwork features an earthy palette of muted beige, ochre, and soft blues, punctuated by hints of lavender and terracotta. These tones work together to create a harmonious yet complex composition, rich in depth and texture.

The painting is divided into two distinct sections:

The upper portion is characterized by overlapping organic and geometric forms, suggesting a dynamic interplay of figures, landscapes, or even dreamlike imagery. The expressive white brushstrokes and delicate contour lines add a sense of movement, as if the elements are shifting and evolving.

The lower section grounds the piece with a darker, earthy brown base, where simplified, almost petroglyph-like symbols emerge. A stylized structure or vessel appears, adorned with architectural motifs, reinforcing themes of cultural history, migration, or the fluidity of time.

Bootay’s signature aesthetic—a fusion of intuitive mark-making and abstract figuration—creates an intriguing narrative within "Rough Waters", inviting viewers to interpret its visual language through their own lens. The balance of structure and spontaneity, symbolism and abstraction, makes this piece a compelling addition to any contemporary art collection.

Rue Bootay, a New York-born artist now rooted in the vibrant artistic landscape of Los Angeles, navigates the avant-garde realm of nonrepresentational surrealism with a style uniquely his own. His paintings, reminiscent of alien landscapes, weave a tapestry of organic shapes—sometimes sharp and angular, other times resembling cosmic amoebae suspended in the celestial void.

This artwork is created with acrylic and oil stick on canvas. It is wired, and ready to hang. The artist signs it on the front and back of the artwork. Free local Los Angeles area delivery is included. Affordable Continental U.S. and worldwide shipping is available. A certificate of authenticity issued by the art gallery is included.

Drawing inspiration from artistic luminaries such as Gorky, Arp, Tinguely, and Miro, Bootay infuses his creations with a whimsical flare, transforming two-dimensional planes into dynamic, organic entities. His creative process is a spontaneous dance of intuition, eschewing sketches for a pure stream of consciousness that manifests as a visual journey into the depths of his mind. Proudly self-taught, Bootay honed his artistic skills on the streets of Sunnyside Queens as a teenage graffiti artist, and this gritty, urban foundation permeates his work with authenticity.

Bootay's paintings have found homes in exhibitions and private collections across the United States and Europe, inviting viewers to explore the untamed landscapes of his imagination.