Aaron April’s watercolors are celebrated for their remarkable depth and luminosity, frequently featured in exhibitions alongside his commanding oil paintings. Defying the conventional notion that watercolors must be executed quickly, April often dedicated significant time to these works—sometimes even more than to his oils—allowing for an extraordinary richness and complexity. His status as a significant watercolorist was powerfully affirmed by his notable 2002 exhibition at the Moscow Museum of Modern Art.
Within this versatile medium, April explored an extensive range of subjects, including profound spiritual themes, evocative landscapes, and intricate allegorical compositions. He was particularly lauded for his seamless ability to blend figurative and abstract elements with precise tact, demonstrating a nuanced mastery unique to his vision. Critics consistently praise his exceptional skill in rendering light and subtle color nuances, observing how his watercolors convey an “internal light carried by the pigment itself” and the mesmerizing “melting desert colors.” This exquisite effect, achieved in watercolor, was often considered more refined than oil for capturing the delicate, almost ethereal luminosity of the southern Israeli landscape. Masterpieces like “On the Eve of Shabbat. Converging on the Wailing Wall” (1993) stand as prime examples, showcasing his “amazing precision” in depicting both architectural structures and intricate figures with breathtaking clarity.
Even within the “quite realistic or relatively realistic works with understandable plot” from his vibrant Israeli period, Aaron April’s still life paintings pulsed with his signature artistic intensity. These compositions, often depicting arranged still lifes or scenes from his studio, showcased his exceptional ability to infuse realism with a profound emotional depth.
A prime example is his painting “Flowers against the white,” where even a seemingly straightforward portrayal of blossoms bursts with his characteristic “fantastic palette, expression, and passion.” This demonstrates that April’s approach to subjects like flowers, though rooted in keen observation, was never merely illustrative. It was always an opportunity to unleash the vibrant energy and rich color that profoundly defined his later work in Israel.
