James Ulmer, One Foot in the Door, 2022; Limited Edition Print

James Ulmer’s paintings utilize a rudimentary vocabulary that is simple and universal. Whether people or animals, still lifes or landscapes, the artist's work renders childlike elements with sophistication and a minimalist restraint. Based in Brooklyn, the artist received a BFA in Illustration and Design at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, and has presented work at venues including Marvin Gardens (Brooklyn, NY), The Hole (New York, NY), V1 Gallery (Copenhagen, DK), Salon 94 (New York, NY), Jeffrey Deitch (New York, NY) and Chart Gallery (New York, NY).

One Foot in the Door shows a figure stepping into an interior space greeted with excitement by a cat sitting on the couch. Characterized by playful proportions and a vibrant color palette, the work demonstrates Ulmer’s ability to convey emotion through negative space—maintaining clear edges with repetition of shapes and color that define the variety of images. Ulmer's compositions begin with his original drawings, which he then transfers onto the computer, where he arranges shapes and colors until a definitive image is struck before scaling them onto the canvas with a projection. The flat treatment and repetition of shape and color call to mind Matisse cut-outs or the work of John Wesley—evoking a precise flatness from a distance, yet revealing the artist's touch as one approaches the work.