Take a moment to look at your surrounding area and notice the number of circles that exist around you, this shape is found everywhere. Located in our very own Channell Art Studio, you can find a large, red circle used to create endless possibilities within its life-sized, rounded structure. While simultaneously working with his subjects to create art within the bounds of a circle, Wesley Channell takes inspiration from the decorative art form of the “Tondo” to mold it into the visionary project he calls, “The Circle.” 

Historically, the circle was known to be a shape of symmetry and balance - an equilibrium that creates the perfect shape. Ancient art and geometry suggest that circles symbolize harmony and unity. The use of circular paintings and sculptures became widely popular during the early Renaissance period, particularly in Italy and Greece.

The origin of ‘Rotondo` (tondo/tondi) artwork was used for the creation of religious plaques and was often a devotion to celebrate marriages and rebirths. Spirituality and beauty were commonly portrayed through Tondos using feminine figures and symbolic imagery to depict the nature of women during the time of the Renaissance. This style was later incorporated by artists such as Di Donatello and continued to surface into 20th Century modern artists’ canvases, such as Mondrian and Kandinsky.

Wesley Channell's designated approach to photography is the portrayal of beauty expressed through light. This series encapsulates the implicit nature of womanhood, as it exists in many forms and surroundings. Circles have been used as a figurative device throughout art ages to represent completeness and unity. It is interesting to to note that spheres and globes used in early Illustration and Photography often symbolically use the notion of femininity as it exclusively implies the spiritual completeness or perfection of a woman.

"Shape, light, and form create a marvelous work of art, combined with the female figure, and a decorative background - all within the bounds of a red circle." (Channell) 

The long awaited series, The Circle by Wesley Channell is now available for purchase on our website. Please email for inquiries.

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