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- Jean Jacobson, MONA Collections Supervisor —
- "The subject, a friend of the artist, and a distorted reflection of the subject are seen in the center of the painting. Cantrell employs Mylar in his set-ups to create the reflection.
Although born in Oklahoma, Cantrell grew up in Wilbur, Nebraska. Polio at age 3 left him with limited use of his leg, and his mother encouraged him to start drawing. Following high school graduation, he earned both Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts degrees. Although his early work centered on traditional ceramic pots, Cantrell gradually moved toward painting. His work appears in exhibitions, public and private collections. He and his wife, Jeanette, live in Bardstown, Kentucky."
- Michelle Lang, Art Historian —
- "This painting demonstrates several aspects of the ‘Neo-Baroque,’ a contemporary version of the 17th-century style which usually mimics its surface aspects – here the still life and portrait genres – while also extending the more philosophical themes of the Baroque in relation to a contemporary postmodern context. Thus, while Transformations is a nuanced portrait of a man whose somewhat rigid hands belie his apparently placid expression, its meaning extends beyond issues of the inner self and its masks. The abstracted and unreal lighting, the contrast between the observed and represented levels of detail (note the tassel), and the play between surface and depth – the chair and wall seem to be on the same plane, for example – all suggest that this artist is also interested in that primary Neo-Baroque theme: the instability of representation itself. Cantrell reminds us that even, or perhaps, especially in this age of digitization, painting can emphasize the importance of thinking carefully about what images can, and do, mean."
- Tom Dennis, Artist —
- "At first glance, the painting appears to be straightforward realism, but a second look reveals a much deeper concept. The overall paint application and surface is smooth in texture, but the brushwork is exquisite. Finer detail is placed on the main character and other parts of the foreground, such as the theatrical costume, and then looser brushwork is employed in subordinate areas.
Transformations are depicted several times throughout the painting. For example, Mr. Cantrell’s placement of darks and lights creates spatial dichotomies so that one is not always sure which shape comes forward and which shape moves back into space. Also, he utilizes a reflecting device that distorts the reflection. He then hides the edges of the device from the viewer, which further solidifies the concept of “transformation” and creates a surreal room. Moreover, the painting is telling us that transformation is change and change happens to all of us. We all wear many faces just as Mr. Cantrell is revealing in Transformations."
- Rick Marlatt, Actor —
- "What first caught my attention was his long, slender fingers around the right knee. It is such a unique and interesting position. It reminded me of my earlier days of training for the stage. Many actors have an innate sense that they are being viewed, critiqued, and judged. This sense goes beyond the relatively brief moments of stage time. This is evident in Transformations, which I judge to be a backstage dressing room snapshot of a performer who is not onstage at present, but still very aware of how he is being viewed and judged by the image he creates. So you have an interesting figure, focused and posed, surrounded by the tools of his trade, designed to heighten interest, sitting in front of a reflection of the surreal image that the performer has dedicated his life to creating, all for the benefit of an audience to view, critique, and judge for themselves. As a fellow performer, the most revealing aspect of the portrait is the passion that the performer has for his craft, a passion shared by me and countless others who work tirelessly for that sense of heightened interest in the human spirit."
- Mason James Lofquist, age 7 —
- "I kind of like this painting, but it is a trick. There is a rabbit in the center.
I think the man looks sort of nice. There is a costume on the left so I think he is a director.
Mrs. Jacobson told me the title of the painting is Transformations, but I didn’t know what that meant. My Mom explained that transformations are like when caterpillars change into butterflies or when I change my transformers from machines to robots.
If you look in the center, you can see the hat with the button, the mask, and the man, but they look different."
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