Dynamic Symmetry Overview Presentation by Karen Halbert

An Overview of Dynamic Symmetry as presented to the Rio Grande Art Association on Feb 21, 2026 in Albuquerque at the University of New Mexico. Quick Time Fast Show AND individual slides available here.

Dynamic Symmetry Description
Dynamic Symmetry Armature and Variations: Drawings by Artists
Dynamic Symmetry in Practice
Historic Paintings with Armatures
Contemporary Paintings with Dynamic Symmetry Armatures
Additional Topics.

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“.. Dynamic Symmetry. .. may be described briefly as the type of symmetry found in a natural organism, in the placing of leaves on a stem, in the architecture of the human body, always suggesting life and movement as opposed to static symmetry which suggests order without the potentiality of change. Mr. Hambidge and others working with him have found that the dynamic type of symmetry was used by the Greeks, who inherited it from the Egyptians and developed it in their art during the classic period with varying degrees of elaboration”—New York Times, Sunday, June 10, 1923 (as quoted In Dynamic Symmetry in Composition by Jay Hambidge pg 53)

Dynamic Symmetry can be viewed as a tool. Its versatility may suggest design possibilities that the artist might not otherwise consider. A composer is not hampered by knowledge of musical theory. An artist should not be hampered by knowledge of composition theories. Dynamic Symmetry makes more precise the aesthetic principle: a work of art must exhibit some kind of unity in variety.

Chimayo: 30.5x44. AR 1.443, close to a Root 2 (1.414...).

Chimayo was in a prominent position at the New Mexico Museum of Art, Aug 9, when I visited it; I was thrilled. I investigated a little and found that this was painted just before Bellows adapted Dynamic Symmetry. It does seem to utilize rebated squares. However, Bellows had not yet seen Hambidge’s lectures on Dynamic Symmetry. In fact, Bellows, was Hambidges’ star student beginning in 1918. As a trained carpenter it was natural perhaps for Bellows to incorporate proportional guidelines. Robert Henri invited Bellows to Santa Fe in 2017. Chimayo was painted during his stay. Please do go to the museum to see this Chimayo painting.

The placard as read in 2013: “Not all of the East Coast artists working in New Mexico found the southwest an ideal place to paint. George Bellows was known for his images of prizefighters reflecting the antagonisms of urban life. In the summer of 1917, he followed Robert Henri’s advice and came to New Mexico. But in New Mexico Bellows found the expansive spaces, rural scenes, and intense light difficult to paint, as is evident in Chimayó . The acidy light and awkward green vegetation reveals [sic] an accomplished artist wrestling with new and unfamiliar subject matter. The painting of the horse in the foreground underscores the difficulty he had with the local scene,”What do you think? The current placard is more complimentary.

Maxfield Parrish, Stars. 35.125/21.75= 1.6149... is close to the golden ratio 1.618... . Image from Coy Ludwick Page 147. (Diagonal and Horizontal line at the golden mean added by KLH.) Parrish wrote that he believed in dividing the canvas into self-similar rectangles, that esthetically this made sense. The viewer likes to see repetition of different types.

Ida O'Keeffe, Variation on a Lighthouse Theme VI. 20x17 inches. AR 1.18.. This computer-generated armature was produced for the book, Ida O’Keeffe, Escaping Georgia’s Shadow, produced by the Dallas Museum of Art, following exhibitions of Ida’s work in 2014. Art historians determined that Ida used precepts of Dynamic Symmetry when they found this sketch of a Golden Cut construction on the back of Lighthouse Theme VI.). https://americanwomenartists.org/rediscovered-ida-ten-eyck-okeeffe-1889-1961/: “In 1929, Ida entered the Teachers College of Columbia University, a destination for progressive educational curriculum at the time. There, Ida came under the influence of painter Charles James Martin (1886-1955), whose teaching methods emphasized composition inspired by the concepts of Dynamic Symmetry. Ida followed Martin who taught art in Cape Cod’s Provincetown in the summers. Discovering Truro’s nearby Highland Light (house), she adopted it as the subject for her graduate painting requirements. Ida considered the series her artistic breakthrough using Dynamic Symmetry in the same manner of Frank Stella’s and Charles Demuth’s modernist compositions. ”

Victor Higgins, an artist who made his home in New Mexico, began to use Dynamic Symmetry early on and continued to promote it throughout his life. In an interview in 1932, Higgins stated: “The modern painter builds his picture; he does not merely paint it. He has his superstructure, his foundation, just as an architect has for his buildings.”

Emil Bisttram, Metropolis, Sketch and Painting. The dynamic symmetry lines are quite visible. According to Art Historian, Traugott, How the West was One, NMMA. Bisttram used the principles of dynamic symmetry to structure works such as Kachina Series #. Bisttram “, drew, rather than measured, the divisions to prevent the understructure from becoming overly mechanical. ... The resulting drawing combines universal spirituality of the golden mean and dynamic symmetry with the culturally specific spirituality of the Pueblo kachinas.”.

From the Peyton Wright Gallery: “His development into abstraction was strongly influenced by Native American geometric designs and symbolism.”

emil-bisttram.com

“For Bisttram, dynamic symmetry .. guided him through the many stylistic experiments he undertook, and provided the essential coherency for his work as a whole.”
“Bisttram began by applying dynamic symmetry to representational compositions; after his move to Taos, New Mexico, in 1931, he began working with cubist and futurist styles, arriving at an aesthetic of pure geometric form by 1938, when he and nine others founded the Transcendental Painting Group.”

Bisttram lived in Taos from 1931 until his death in 1975. Throughout this period, he was an active Art Instructor.

Harry Nadler, King Chamber III. I’ve had fun reconstructing the diagrams. His lines use golden divisions rather than the dynamic symmetry armature. 38x62 =10x16.18... Many of Nadler's paintings are in a golden ratio. Nadler taught at the University of New Mexico for many years. See http://harrynadler.com/ for much more information. I very much enjoyed reading a review of Nadler by a noted Art Historian and Curator, Nicolai Cikovsky, Jr. from 2005. See the Reviews' tab on the website.

Traugott, The Art of New Mexico: How the West was One: “ Harry Nadler combined painterly applications of pigment with geometric structures in his paintings from the 1970s and 1980s. A strong proponent of rationality of compositions based on geometric divisions, Nadler often organized his paintings through the use of dynamic symmetry. He carefully subdivided compositions into components based on golden proportions and superimposed multiple grids to camouflage the highly organized geometric structure to his paintings. “

Albert Handell, Sunday's Snow.

Intuitive Composition, Page 126, Full Text:

"Nearly all objects are understood through surface divisions made of lines or edges.

•Variety is achieved through horizontal, vertical or diagonal divisions and movements, etc. … These divisions may be reinforced or contrasted by chains or rhythms of connecting or disconnecting directions; repetition or contrasts of shapes and movements; or tonal massing which adds to creating unity In the divided picture plane.

•.. it is essential to remember the shapes and movements of the subject relate to one another and to the picture plane, creating the divisions of the picture plane. These divisions are subtleties of the composition and intrinsic to the painting’s carrying power.

•

•The composition of Sunday’s Snow is practically divided equally by the line of trees, the placement of the adobe to the left, and the background trees to the right. The top half of the composition is comparatively complicated and carries practically all the pictorial interest, whereas the bottom half is kept very simple, thereby leading the eye into the upper half of the painting. … The divisions of the bottom half of the composition add to the drama of the painting and allow the viewer’s eye to go directly to the foreground trees, the center of interest. The beauty of the foreground trees hold the viewer’s attention, their subtlety and detail drawing it away from the emphatic division of the picture plane. Although there are endless possibilities for dividing a picture plane, this example shows how effective the simple and direct way can be."

Michele Byrne, NM Museum of Art. Michele is known for her use of the Dynamic Symmetry Armature – an expanded one to include the Self-Similar Rectangles and Rebated Squares. Her Facebook posts frequently include steps where you can see pencil marks from the armature in the intermediate steps of her painting. Michele has been told by her followers that her compositions improved after she began using the Expanded Dynamic Symmetry Armature; she started winning even more awards.

She has a very informative article on Dynamic Symmetry that I highly recommend, available through the Oil Painters of America: https://www.oilpaintersofamerica.com/2022/03/dynamic-symmetry-and-how-i- incorporate-it-into-my-plein-air-and-studio-and-practice/

Doug Fryer, Painting with Intuition Video. Fryer has utilized variations of Dynamic Symmetry in his many workshops and University Classrooms. This painting and reference photo are from his video. Painting with Intuition, available from Streamline Publishing.

Karen Halbert, Southwest Winter. AR 1.334. The vertical through the left polar points aligns closely with the cactus on the left. The horizontal through the lower polar points lies at the horizon. The tops of the mountains align with the upper line through the polar points. I designed this painting with these placements in mind, beginning with a lightly drawn dynamic symmetry armature on the panel. I can remember vividly working on the painting, actually from a photograph taken when the light was amazing a day later in the studio. It was too cold to paint outside but the image was imprinted on my brain.

Paintings by Karen Halbert Selection from 2016-2025:

2016: Santa Fe River Turbulence, I was conscious of utilizing a "golden spiral" with a focal point at the golden mean. Fortunately, I had chosen a golden ratio for the panel: 10 x 16 (or as close as I could get to the golden ratio irrational number). I noticed that the rocks formed a kind of spiral, spiraling to that point and I took advantage of that. Comment by Judge, Jeff Legg: “I could live with this painting”.
2020: Blowin’ in the Wind: Remarks from the transcript of the Judge, Lynn Boyer: “Full of energy.. Engaging, vibrant, melodic. Swept around in it. Not just a painting of a tree. I feel the movement of the tree as the wind whips it around.
Unique painting.”
Tragically, Lynn passed away of a heart attack at a young age. The world is lessened by her absence.
2024: Turbulent Lands. Judge Donny Weber.
2024: Ghost Ranch Cabin. Judge Paul Murray,
2025: Abiquiu Cliffs Abstract, Judge Qiang Huang’s comments: "This painting is unique. The asymmetric color shapes are on top of a symmetric geometric pattern, showing a mathematical beauty."