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"Arso Ivanovich brings to Wisconsin both the past and the future. His paintings bridge two continents and several artistic styles. His subjects would seem to indicate that he exists apart from time as they appear in his work as dreamlike images of his life in Yugoslavia and some future existence with no present.

Even his technique though soundly based on strong compositional design bridges artistic movements with a surrealistic link. In oil his approach is very studied and rendered application of paint with flowing movement and nostalgic colors. While in watercolor by using his own discovery, the process of freezing wet color and creating exciting patterns with which to work his subject he has moved beyond existing technique and "frozen watercolor" is added to artistic accomplishment. His use of color reflects the past-future existence with masterfully controlled and spontaneously creative contrast.

Although Ivanovich concentrates on painting, as a teacher he delves into many art forms with great versatility and expertise. I believe the increasing recognition he has received abroad and in this country will soon bring him into prominence on the contemporary art scene." Ken Cottingham, Art Critic

The diversity of the art of Arso Ivanovich indicates the true nature of the artist, as I understand the term conceptually. Ivanovich does not allow himself to become stagnant either in technique, style or media. His work flows with his mind back and forth between artistic styles and personal experience searching for newness. Many artists move just beyond the fringe of their identifiable style but few have the courage to leave it altogether and develop a totally new concept of form and content.

The range of his work moves from pure design to classical realism; from cubistic abstraction to soft impressionism; from sculptural solidity to fluid, lyrical transparency. What may appear to some viewers as eclectic or non-directional is the fluidity of creative expression. A particular style may be developed, with careful studied control, but as it is pursued, it is carried beyond its identity through combination with other styles or through courageous experimentation until it evolves to something new.

Ivanovich exemplifies the artist concept in his willingness to break the "rules". In his frozen watercolors he uses freezing as a technique to carry the watercolor beyond its own result to a new one. The range of work communicates the depth of human feeling from quiet softness to deep moodiness or from dramatic boldness to lyrical spontaneity. This lyricism is particularly present in his frozen watercolors while his figures are more dramatic and his village-scapes solid placidity.

Regardless of the direction Ivanovich moves in his creative pursuit, there is a constancy of strength of design is his composition and a unifying integration of color values and intensities. I suspect Arso Ivanovich will continue moving in, out, around and beyond the influence of artistic styles and accepted techniques to be as Picasso was continually evolving. Kenneth B. Cottingham, Art Critic