In this intensely engaging abstract painting by Joseph Drapell, rings of rich colours appear to emanate from the center of the canvas drawing the viewer in. The Czech born artist has created a ‘galaxy’ of his own using shiny layers of blues, pinks, cream and white that almost pulsate with energy.
Newton and Einstein were famous physicists in the 17th and 20th centuries whose theories changed the world view of physics—the natural science that attempts to explain the laws of the universe.
Drapell uses trowels, wide serrated blades, and fingers to apply layers of colour. He is known for his ‘compression technique’--applications of thick paint or impasto that produce highly textured pieces.

“…I started to make gradations in my work to increase the impasto because the shiny paint creates a drawing which responds to the light in the room.” Joseph Drapell

After emigrating to Canada, Joseph Drapell studied art at the Cranbrook Academy of Art in Michigan. There he met Canadian artist Jack Bush and the renowned art critic Clement Greenberg who influenced his work. Inspired by the abstract paintings of Morris Louis, he experimented with different techniques to apply wide swaths of paint in thick layers. In the 1990’s he was a founding member of a group of artists called the New New Painters that exhibited together internationally. Drapell is a member of the Royal Academy of Arts, and his works are held in both private and public collections in Canada and the U.S. Drapell divides his time between Toronto and a beloved island retreat in Georgian Bay.