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.
Aaron April’s artistic exploration extended to the realm of portraits, where he captured not just the likeness of individuals, but also their essence. These works are often grouped among his “quite realistic or relatively realistic works with understandable plot,” offering viewers a direct engagement with his subjects.
Among his portraiture are intimate depictions of his relatives, revealing a personal connection to his subjects. His esteemed colleague and friend, the Russian painter Dmitry Zhilinsky, specifically lauded April’s portraits, recognizing their unique quality. While aiming for verisimilitude, April’s approach to portraiture transcended mere external appearance. He employed a distinctive method of “seeing from within” his subjects, striving to reveal something fundamental and characteristic about them. This inward gaze allowed his portraits to become more than just representations; they became profound insights into the human spirit.
