Armand Delatour

Armand Delatour is a contemporary artist with a deep connection to the tactile and material qualities of his work, often exploring the space between painting and sculpture. His artistic journey began in earnest about 30 years ago, influenced by a memorable encounter with the renowned painter Brice Marden at the Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art. This moment, marked by humor and shared admiration for Marden's work, left a lasting impression on Delatour, who found inspiration in Marden's minimalist approach. Delatour’s current series is crafted using oil and beeswax on wood panels, a medium that allows him to explore subtle shifts in color and texture that set his work apart from traditional hard-edged abstraction. His process involves a meticulous layering technique, starting with a complementary underpainting in thinned acrylic, followed by the application of wax—both hot (encaustic) and cold, blended with oil and turpentine. This method results in surfaces rich with character and depth, emphasizing the importance of materials and the physicality of the artwork. Framed in dimensional settings, Delatour's pieces are presented as objects with the feel of icons, existing in a space that blurs the lines between painting and sculpture. His work is a testament to his belief that the surface and materials are as crucial as the visual image, creating art that invites both tactile and visual engagement.