Threadgood by Kent Knowles - 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle

Kent Knowles is an American figurative painter. The characters that populate his work are often women in perilous situations, occupying lush terrain - and his most recent interests explore self-preservation and isolation. In starting any painting, he's never quite sure of the outcome. "I try not to impose too much order on a painting," he said. "That's why I start without any real agenda. I don't do any preliminary work for the paintings, I just start drawing on the canvas with paint." Many of the images begin as one thing and end as another – overlapping lines and abandoned forms giving way to new bodies. He compared the process to looking at the clouds. Eventually, a figure appears.

"Threadgood" (oil on canvas, 60" x 48", 2018) is one of the many works that Knowles has breathed life into. "I know a figure, most likely female, is going to emerge out of these overlapping lines when the painting starts," Knowles continued, "and it's just a matter of time before it does." Like most of his work, there are elements that become a sort of signature: the distorted figure, mysticism, the heavy forms - creating a complex disposition that's both strong and awkward. These female figures seem to be the perfect vehicle to express an idea. They are simultaneously vulnerable and powerful.

Knowles became the SCAD Atlanta Associate Dean of Fine Arts and Foundation Studies after teaching in the Foundation Studies department for nearly 10 years. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in painting and drawing from the University of Georgia and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design). He's been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the Southeast. As the son of a U.S. Air Force chaplain, Knowles grew up traveling around the world, including high school years spent in Europe where he was introduced to the figurative and allegorical paintings of the Old Masters. He currently lives and works in the outskirts of Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and two children. 

• 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
• Finished Puzzle Size: 19.25" x 26.625"
• Linen pieces on quality blueboard backing
• Matte Finish to reduce glare
• Recommended Age: 13+ Years