1961 marks a pivotal moment in Totten’s career, departing from the subdued desert-inspired color palette that had characterized his previous work to embrace a more flamboyant and adventurous aesthetic, embarking on a creative exploration that resonated with the buoyant spirit of the era. This marked shift coincided with Totten’s deepening engagement with Synchromism, a movement spearheaded by Stanton MacDonald-Wright, under whose tutelage Totten had studied. Drawing inspiration from MacDonald-Wright, Totten absorbed the foundational principles of Synchromism, yet he always approached them as a catalyst for his own distinctive artistic vision.
Totten’s artistic process appears deceptively effortless, mirroring the demeanor of the man behind the brush. Modest, soft-spoken, and gentle, Totten embodied humility in his approach to his craft. Yet, beneath this unassuming exterior lay a profound commitment to his artistry. Immersed in the act of painting, Totten dedicated himself wholeheartedly to his practice, infusing each canvas with a palpable sense of daring and conviction.
To liken Totten’s oeuvre to that of luminaries such as Clifford Still or Edward Dugmore may seem audacious at first glance, however, upon closer examination, one discerns a shared mastery of abstract expressionism and a profound depth of artistic expression. Totten stands shoulder to shoulder with these titans, his capacity to produce profound abstract works attesting to his enduring legacy as a visionary artist.
This early painting by Totten is intriguing and may intentionally—or perhaps accidentally—reference Odilon Redon’s Symbolist approach to Impressionism. He utilizes rich, vibrant colors and expressive brushwork while drawing on Impressionist techniques, infusing his canvas with symbolic meaning. Here, Totten’s branch form is strikingly rendered, capturing its essence in a more realistic manner while foreshadowing a motif that would later evolve into increasingly abstract interpretations throughout his career.
Both the “branch” and “planet” forms float against a background of highly diluted paint, accentuating the coarse fibers of the burlap canvas and giving the painting a celestial quality. Totten further enhances the texture using sgraffito, a technique that involves scratching into the paint surface with a sharp tool or the end of a paintbrush to reveal the underlying layers. This method not only adds sharp definitions to an otherwise ethereal composition, but also infuses a sense of motion within the forms of the branches, contributing to the overall dynamism of the painting.