Sticks and Snare
Music

by

John Armato

Sticks and Snare
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Sticks and Snare
This print is inspired by a kind of wood veneer wall art that was popular during the 1950s and 60s. Artists would cut exaggerated shapes from different hues and grains of wood veneer and assemble them in a sort of basic marquetry (similar to mosaic). The pieces were mounted, usually on textured or natural backgrounds such as canvas, linen or fiberboard. The finished art was framed simply, usually without mats or glass. Subject matter reflected mid-century modern motifs such as exotic peoples, musical instruments, animals, ships and cityscapes. While one-of-a-kind, hand-made original art made in this fashion was popular (and indeed was created by the artist’s father and hung in his home), printed reproductions were popular as well. (The mass-produced prints of Robert Lyons — particularly his depiction of a Siamese cat — are collected among mid-century modern fans to this day.) John Armato, a jazz drummer and mid-century modern enthusiast, is a creative strategist at an international communications agency who draws upon his early career roots in graphic design to create art inspired by those works. Using high-resolution scans of various wood surfaces, Armato draws his images on-screen, creating a sort of “digital marquetry.” “Sticks and Snare” is characterized by the minimalist composition and simple shapes that are common in mid-century art. The subject matter is close to Armato’s heart and juxtaposes a solitary snare drum with three pair of drum sticks — more than can be used at one time — to visually represent dynamic bursts of rhythms. “Sticks and Snare” was created as part of a diptych including “Classic Drums” but each print is available separately as well.
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