The Elegance of Simplicity

Hey, Art Lover!

In this issue, we explore Thomas Hammer’s bold, kinetic works that capture the energy of movement. Then, we meet To?o Barreiro, whose mastery of metal and light invites you to view geometric forms as dynamic, living entities. Rounding out the issue is an exploration of the monochromatic palette in art. I hope you enjoy it!

Thomas Hammer: Harnessing Movement

I remember visiting Thomas Hammer’s studio several years ago when I was working on a project. I had seen images of his work before, and it was the elegance of his pieces that drew me in. Seeing his work in person and watching him wield his tools—it all clicked. Thomas’s work is bold, kinetic, and somehow soothing at the same time. His process, technique, and the energy behind it make you realize that his work is about movement, force, and control, all working together.

What makes Thomas stand out from other abstract artists is his unconventional approach—he uses a squeegee-like tool. Watching him work, you realize there’s an incredible sense of control and freedom in each swipe. His marks are big and bold, but they’re not chaotic. There’s purpose in every stroke, even if it feels spontaneous and raw.

His use of this tool creates fluid, sweeping gestures that cover the substrate in ways run-of-the-mill brushes can’t. The result is rhythmic. You can feel the movement, the power, in every piece. Each mark has a distinct energy, and it’s fascinating how no two strokes are ever the same. Thomas’s technique makes each piece entirely unique—dictated by pressure, speed, and the materials he’s using.

Many of Thomas’s works are monochromatic. Before you roll your eyes and think, “Oh great, another black-and-white artist,” let me tell you—his work is anything but monotonous. The way he uses black ink is mesmerizing: thick and intense in some areas, barely there in others. These subtle shifts in tone make you stop and really look. There’s something calming about his use of monochrome, but it’s also strikingly alive. You focus less on the colors (or lack thereof) and more on the texture, the movement, and the emotion behind each stroke.

Monochrome might seem limiting to some, but in Thomas’s hands, it’s a gateway to endless possibilities. Without the distraction of color, you’re left to focus on the form. It strips everything down to the essentials, which only heightens your experience. By quieting the color, he turns the volume up on everything else.

His work is fast-paced, alive, and full of the kind of energy that makes you think about contemporary life—how we’re always in motion. His pieces have an undercurrent of movement, of forward momentum. But at the same time, there’s a timelessness to them.

Visiting Thomas’s Brooklyn studio was a real treat. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to step into an artist’s workspace, you know what I mean. His studio had an electric creative energy, with works in various stages of completion and the smell of fresh pigment filling the room.

Leaving Thomas’s studio that day, I felt like I had witnessed something rare—a blend of skill and instinct that only comes with true mastery.

To?o Barreiro: Metal, Light, and Emotion

I stumbled onto To?o’s work, and it felt like a jolt of caffeine. To?o has a meticulous, almost scientific vision when it comes to form. You’ll catch yourself staring at what seems like a solid, static shape, and before you know it, it’s morphing, as if it’s alive—expanding and shifting before your eyes.

Take his Black Square Folded series: rigid aluminum sheets folded into intricate, three-dimensional shapes that almost make you forget they’re metal. And here’s where things get interesting—the fold itself becomes the focal point. These lines and angles carve out planes, catching the light just right. With the metallic surface and sharp edges, there’s a hypnotic interaction between light and shadow that feels utterly intentional.

In his work, To?o taps into our basic visual instincts. Our brains are hardwired to love contrast and patterns, so when his sharp lines and intersecting planes guide our gaze, it’s like he’s leading us through a maze—one carefully placed line at a time. Brain scientists call this contour perception: sharp edges and shading trick our brains into seeing structure even in abstraction. Add in specular reflection (the fancy term for how light bounces off shiny surfaces), and you’ve got a recipe for creating depth and movement in a piece that isn’t actually moving. It’s as if these sculptures have a low-key hum of energy just beneath the surface.

In the end, To?o’s work isn’t about fitting neatly into categories like “painting” or “sculpture.” It doesn’t care about labels. His work demands your attention, not because it’s flashy, but because it pulls you in with a quiet, magnetic pull.

The Power of Monochromatic Palettes in Art: Exploring Depth in Simplicity

The subtle allure of a monochromatic palette is often overlooked. Yet, some of the most powerful and evocative pieces in art history have emerged from the quiet intensity of a single color. The decision to restrict oneself to a monochromatic palette—or the use of varying shades and tones of just one color—is not a limitation but rather a challenge that invites artists to delve deeper into the complexities of form and texture.

A monochromatic palette allows the artist to bypass the distractions of multiple hues and focus purely on the fundamentals of composition, mood, and meaning.

At first glance, a monochromatic work may seem simple—a minimalist choice that reduces visual noise. Paradoxically, however, reducing the color palette often intensifies the viewer’s engagement. Without the distraction of competing colors, the eye is free to focus on the depth of the work, noticing elements that might otherwise be overlooked: texture, form, light, shadow, and the interplay of tonal values.

In monochromatic works, subtle shifts in tone take on monumental importance. The play between light and dark, the saturation or dilution of a single color, can evoke a spectrum of emotions. These tonal shifts create a tension that draws the viewer in.

The use of monochromatic palettes is far from a new trend in the art world. In fact, some of the earliest forms of art, including ancient pottery and cave paintings, were monochromatic by necessity, limited by the availability of pigments. Often, these works relied on black, white, and ochre to convey everything from daily life to profound spiritual messages.

As we move into more modern art movements, monochromatic palettes became central to many iconic works. Dutch painter Piet Mondrian, for example, explored the power of limited palettes in his abstract works, although he famously restricted himself to primary colors. In the 20th century, monochromatic painting gained new life with artists like Kazimir Malevich, whose groundbreaking Black Square challenged traditional concepts of representation, urging viewers to consider the emotional and philosophical weight of a single color.

In the mid-20th century, minimalist and conceptual artists embraced monochromatic palettes as a way to strip art down to its essential elements. Artists like Yves Klein and Robert Ryman found power in the purity of a single color—Klein, with his famous International Klein Blue, and Ryman with his exploration of white. These artists proved that a monochromatic approach could evoke a strong emotional and intellectual response.

One of the most compelling reasons artists turn to monochromatic palettes is the emotional weight they carry. By focusing on just one color, artists can imbue their work with a specific mood or tone.

In contemporary art, the monochromatic palette remains a powerful tool. Artists like Gerhard Richter have used monochromatic painting to explore the relationship between representation and abstraction. In Richter’s series of grey works, the color grey becomes the subject, turning the focus onto texture, light, and the materiality of the work itself. Without the distraction of color, viewers are drawn into the intricacies of the surface, transforming the work into an exploration of the act of seeing itself.

Choosing to work within a monochromatic palette can be a radical act. It requires discipline, focus, and a deep understanding of how to manipulate a single color to its fullest potential. But for those artists who rise to the challenge, the rewards are immense.

For viewers, monochromatic works offer a meditative experience, inviting them to look closer and discover the subtle nuances within the simplicity. Whether through the raw emotional power of black and white or the calming expanse of a single hue, monochrome continues to prove that sometimes, less really is more.

On a Personal Note…

It’s Halloween season, which means I’ll be sneaking handfuls of chocolate from my kid’s candy stash. I can’t be the only parent who does this—don’t pretend you haven’t done the same!

See you next week!

Pato