Artwork copyright Gregg Renfrow. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Gregg Renfrow. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Artwork copyright Gregg Renfrow. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Heartbeat, 1991

Gregg Renfrow
(American, born 1948)

Location: Lower Columbia College, Longview

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Heartbeat is an abstract painting created by artist Gregg Renfrow. He painted translucent layers of color directly onto a plexiglass sheet. Tibetan Buddhist devotional paintings known as "Thangkas" inspired his imagery. He notes, "Specifically, I used the flame image, which symbolizes the burning away of ignorance."

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Lower Columbia College.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

San Francisco Bay-area artist Gregg Renfrow creates abstract paintings on transparent surfaces. His work focuses on the relationship between light and color. He notes that he seeks to "eliminate the opaque ground. Let light pass through the veils of paint. Find a support that his not visible."
Renfrow was born in San Francisco to an Irish-American mother and English officer in the British Navy, and was adopted at two weeks old. He attended San Francisco State College from 1967 to 1969. He transferred to the San Francisco Art Institute where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1972.