Stephen Pentak
2010, VI.II, oil, 34 x 76.
“This is one of a series of paintings that are variations on iconic themes: a bend in a river, a point of land, an island, and always a broad expanse of reflective water. These provide diffuse, generalized middle ground and background planes against which a few sparse trees play out a foreground rhythm. This landscape structure offers an entry point. Meanwhile, the surface confronts the viewer with the marks made by the tools that created the scene: house-painters’ brushes, drywall tools, and scrapers. In this way the painting is revealed to be a construction. A Chinese saying describes the experience: ‘First you see the hills in the painting, then you see the painting in the hills.’”
Representation
Kathryn Markel Fine Arts, New York, NY; The Bonfoey Gallery, Cleveland, OH; Concept Art Gallery, Pittsburgh, PA; Keny Galleries, Columbus, OH; Marie Park Studio, Dallas, TX; Susan Street Fine Art, Solana Beach, CA; The Haen Gallery, Asheville, NC; Joyce Robins Gallery, Santa Fe, NM; Costello Childs Contemporary Art, Scottsdale, AZ.
Upcoming show
Two-person show, Haen Gallery, April.
Kim Casebeer
Amber Reflections, oil, 24 x 30.
“I created AMBER REFLECTIONS in my studio based on a plein-air piece I did in Idaho in the spring. What initially struck me when painting outdoors was the early spring yellow-greens of the trees against the violets of the foothills in the distance. Once back in my studio, I decided to paint a larger piece because I liked the composition. I wanted to create a fall setting, though, so that the yellows of the foliage would resonate against the violet foothills even more dramatically. When I use my outdoor paintings as studies for studio paintings, I often change composition, value, or color to create a stronger piece.”
Representation
American Legacy Gallery, Kansas City, MO; Galleries West Fine Art, Jackson, WY; Rive Gauche Art Galleries, Scottsdale, AZ; Strecker-Nelson Gallery, Manhattan, KS; www.kimcasebeer.com.
Upcoming shows
Group Regional Show, American Legacy Gallery, March.
The Russell Show and Sale, Great Falls, MT, March 17-19.
Kansas Masters Invitational Group Show, Strecker-Nelson Gallery, April 29-June 11.
Peter Hoffer
Arrangement, mixed media, 36 x 60.
“My formal training is in sculpture, so I have always been interested in the physicality of the paint as material in itself. I sand, grind, and scour the layers of painted surface, revealing the process of time. With chisels, I etch the layers of plywood, to suggest either a calculated tree or a damaged surface. The paint is haphazardly applied initially, then refined with detail. It is the play between control and intuition that makes these landscapes as much about material and process as about the image. Landscapes I’m familiar with are generally less than spectacular in their topography. It’s the idiosyncrasies that convey the nuances of the place. Meaning is found within the small branches, the meandering brook, or the inconsistent density of foliage.”
Representation
Diehl Gallery, Jackson, WY; Selby Fleetwood Gallery, Santa Fe, NM; Gallery KH, Chicago, IL; Kathryn Markel Fine Art, New York, NY.
Upcoming shows
Solo show, Newzones, Calgary, Canada, March 5-April 9.
Solo show, Nicholas Metivier Gallery, Toronto, Canada, Spring.
Solo show, Envie d’Art, Paris, France, Spring.
David Jonason
Red Canyon, oil, 12 x 16.
“Canyon de Chelly contains all the things I love to paint: beautiful red rock formations, puffy clouds, and a profound sense of peace and remoteness. Entering the canyon, you are aware that it has been lived in for centuries. It has a feeling of intimacy that Chaco, Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon, although stunning, seem to lack. This particular day was a great day for artistic inspiration and very productive. My wife and I took a tour of the canyon; there were great vistas around every turn. This view was from a rest stop on the tour, and it seemed to sum up the quiet grandeur of Canyon de Chelly.”
Representation
Michael Hollis Fine Art, Pasadena, CA; Meyer East Gallery, Santa Fe, NM; Marshall-LeKae Gallery, Scottsdale, AZ; www.davidjonason.com.
Upcoming Shows
Solo show, Marshall-LeKae Gallery, February 3-April 7.
Solo show, Meyer East Gallery, June.
Kenny McKenna
Santa Elena, oil, 38 x 50.
“This painting came from a trip to Big Bend National Park near the Texas-Mexico border. The 1,800-foot cliffs of Santa Elena Canyon, carved by the sandy waters of the Rio Grande, were an irresistible subject to paint. A rain shower provided several minutes of dramatic lighting. I completed a field sketch in somewhat overcast conditions and shot several photos in full sunlight. Using this information, I worked out the final piece in my studio. What I really like about it are the loosely painted shapes combined with the interesting texture of the brushwork, all making sense and coming together when seen from a distance.”
Representation
Collectors Covey, Dallas, TX; Settlers West Galleries, Tucson, AZ; Legacy Gallery, Jackson, WY, and Scottsdale, AZ; Shadid Fine Art, Edmond, OK.
Upcoming Shows
American Miniatures, Settlers West Galleries, February 12.
Panhandle-Plains Invitational Western Art Show & Sale, Canyon, TX, February 26-March 27.
Night of Artists, San Antonio, TX, March 3-4.
NatureWorks Art Show & Sale, Tulsa, OK, March 4-6.
John Burton
Guidance, oil, 48 x 54.
“I consider it an honor to carry on the grand tradition of painting the American landscape. What makes landscape painting so inviting and relevant to our modern society is that as we become overwhelmed by our video games and traffic jams, I feel people need that connection with God’s creation. That is why someone works a long week and then goes for a hike on the California Coast—to reconnect. In the same way, someone can view a landscape painting and it feeds their soul. The scene interpreted in GUIDANCE is a place I visit often, being just a short drive south from my studio in Carmel.”
Representation
Bonner David Galleries, Scottsdale, AZ; Carmel Fine Art, Carmel, CA;
www.burtonartstudio.com.
Featured in February 2011.