Ton Schulten (1938) - Avondrood

The painting style of the screen print Avondrood and the work of Ton Schulten in general is best described as Twente Expressionism or as a colorful mosaic landscape.

Although his work borrows elements from art history, he created a completely unique, recognizable style that you can describe using the following core characteristics:

• The Twente coulisse landscape as a basis:
Schulten was deeply inspired by the nature around his birthplace Ootmarsum. In Avondrood you recognise this in the abstract shapes of trees, fields, meadows and roofs. It is not a realistic rendering, but the poetic memory of a landscape.
• Broad vertical bands (Mosaic structure):
This is the absolute hallmark of Ton Schulten. He built his compositions from tight, vertical bands and blocks. The planes sit tightly next to each other, giving the painting the texture and dynamism of a stained glass window or a mosaic.
• Mystical light and spectrum colors:
Just as sunlight dispersed through broken glass splits into different colors of the spectrum, Schulten let the light dance across his canvases. In Avondrood he uses intense, warm red, orange, and yellow tones that blend into contrasting cool tones. This gives the work a paradisiacal and serene atmosphere.
• Harmony and calm:
Although the colors splash across the canvas, the work exudes an intense calm. This is closely linked to his method: Schulten stood up almost daily around two or three o’clock at night to paint in the absolute silence and seclusion of his studio.

In short, the style of Avondrood beautifully balances on the edge between abstraction and figurativeness. It is a geometric interplay of color and light that conveys the mystical warmth of a summer evening.