Nothing if not eclectic, Ted Gahl’s painting practice is nonetheless united by a reverence for art history and a humorous treatment of subject and material. In his large, bold paintings and mixed-media canvases, colored wood and found objects jut out at odd angles, scrawled text and aggressive figuration clash and merge, and compositions dissolve into pure abstraction. Gahl asserts that at the core of his practice is an interest in painting, and he is unconcerned with a definitive style. “I’ve always been a fan of minimal and monochrome painting, but at the same time love elements of figuration and drawing in work,” he says. “My goal was to create paintings that, from afar, read as relatively flat, but when you get closer, include elements of subtle color and form.”