Untitled, from the Earth and Sky Series

George K. Rackus

This is an image from the portfolio of 14 lithographs "Terre et Ciel" (Earth and Sky), printed in Paris in an edition of 45 by E & J Desjobert, Paris.

Of note on the pathway to artistic expression for George Rackus is what inspired his work. Unlike the majority of his Abstract Expressionist peers in the U.S. and Europe, it wasn’t the man made metropolis that attracted him, but the wild landscapes of Eastern Canada and his own sense of solitude. In this color lithograph, part of a series published in 1964, Rackus’ natural ability to rely on subtle gradations of tone on the lithostone achieves a depth and sense of movement. His use of contrasting colors - deep cobalt and vivid rust - creates a sense of a rising sun reaching through the branches of silhouetted trees.

Rackus was one of Canada’s leading Abstract Expressionists and he remained a staunch supporter of the arts until his death in 2019.