Nature's Visual Poetry

Wilde Meyer’s current show at its Tucson Gallery is entitled “Nature’s Visual Poetry.” This group show features six of the gallery’s artists, each of whom has a unique interpretation of nature’s forms and landscapes.

Four of the artists paint en plein air using settings in Wyoming, New Mexico and Arizona for their inspiration. The mood they felt while capturing the scene affects each painting. For example, Michael Baum expresses the solitude of the Western landscape at early dusk in “Desert Evening.” Everything is soft in the golden twilight, but the place seems far, far away.

Michael Baum  "Desert Evening" oil on panel 22" x 25.5"

Wildflowers ascend toward distant, mysterious mountains in “Outside of Taos,” Robert Anderson’s dreamlike landscape. Using thick paint and neutral tones, he creates a mood that’s calming, yet thought-provoking. An excellent craftsman, Robert made the frame for "Outside of Taos" himself and divided the scene in three parts as a triptych, which I think makes it very interesting.

Robert Anderson "Outside of Taos, NM" oil on panel  13" x 19.75"

In Judith d’Agostino’s “Lakeside” painting, the weather is changing, and so is the mood.  The sun-kissed orange mountains and fluffy white clouds will soon be overtaken by an ominous black cloud, already casting a dark shadow on the trees. It’s a powerful scene.

Judith D'Agotstino "Lakeside" oil on panel 29.5"x53.5"

Alix Stefan paintings are journeys into the Sonoran desert. She pictures it as a paradise, abundant with ocotillo, saguaro or organ pipe cactus that rise above colorful fields of flowers, prickly pear and other native plants. In “I Love the Rain,” the subdued color palette and beautiful rendering of the sky make me feel as if I can smell the wet desert scents.

Alix Stefan "I love the Rain" acrylic on canvas  26"x32"

The other two artists choose animal subjects to express their love of nature.

Sarah Webber’s painterly portraits of animals conveys their particular personalities  – as they appear to her. According to Sarah, whether it’s “the color of a nose, the spark in the eyes, the thickness of fur or the curve of an ear, there has to be one thing I wish to say with my paint that will reach out and touch the viewer.” You can certainly see her intentions in the painting of the rabbit below, entitled “Secret Bunny.”

Sarah Webber "Secret Bunny"  19"x17" oil on canvas

As an artist and lifelong horse trainer, Chaille Trevor’s equine paintings are unique in the intimacy and sensitivity. She depicts various aspects of horses’ personalities, from the gentleness of how they groom each other to the sheer power, spirit and grace of a horse in movement. The two horses in this painting seem to be communicating, their heads titled slightly inward and their bodies trotting in unison.

Chaille Trevor  "Kissed by the Sun"  oil on canvas  36" x 48"

If you happened to miss any of the shows, send us an email and we can get you more images of available works by featured artists.

I hope everyone is ready to spoil mom on Mother's Day on May 8th. If not, we'll throw out a few ideas so check back with us soon!

"Live in Color"

The latest show at Wilde Meyer, "Live in Color" opened on Thursday, March 31st and features new work by Sherri Belassen and Ryan Hale.

Left: Sherri Belassen  "At What Cost"  oil on canvas 60" x 36"
Right: Ryan Hale "Go West" acrylic on canvas  60" x 72"

Ryan creates his abstract paintings with drywall and palette knives, using mainly red and ochre tones. He pairs these colors against each other to see how they’ll interact. His work looks spontaneous, but, actually, he says he’s very methodical, applying his paint thoughtfully and changing directions as the piece comes together.

Ryan told me that he’s influenced by aerial photography! Plots of developed areas coinciding with undeveloped land, roads and buildings all inspire his geometric compositions. His painting entitled “Through the City” implies the congestion and energy of city life. My eyes rest on the white form in the center, but all around shapes are colliding.

Ryan Hale "Through the City" acrylic on canvas 60" x 48"

In “Building Up,” he contrasts organized linear “roads” with the chaos of free-floating patches of color.

Ryan Hale  "Building Up" acrylic on canvas  48" x 36"

Sherri paints with gusto and a free, yet strong style. Her work is all about the paint – the subject is there to help her explore and show many levels of colors and textures. For example, in “Splash” she uses large blocks of color to create interesting geometric shapes around the figure of a diver, whose body is defined by layers of paint scraped away to reveal another multitude of colors underneath.

Sherri Belassen  "Splash"  oil on canvas  48" x 30"

 It’s a very effective technique, used in most of her paintings.  Many of the titles of Sherri’s work convey irony and humor, as in “At What Cost."

Sherri Belassen  "At What Cost?" oil on canvas  60" x 36"

 

This is a strong show, with two painters who have contributed very interesting paintings.

Left: Ryan Hale  "Past Futures"  acrylic on canvas  36" x 72"
Right: Sherri Belassen "Olas Surfers" oil on canvas 36" x 48"

Left:  Ryan Hale  "Thoughts Abound"  Warming Day: I, II, III
(Right) Ryan Hale, 6 pieces: Warming Day: I, II, III  & Late Afternoon I, II, III

Sherri Belassen  "Play"  oil on canvas 48" x 72"

"Live in Color" continues through April 16, 2011.

Our next show will be at our gallery in Tucson: a group show featuring art by Alix Stefan, Robert Anderson, Sarah Webber, Michael Baum, Chaille Trevor and Judith D'Agostino called "Nature's Visual Poetry," opening on April 14, 2011, 5-7pm.

"Wild Spirits"

Our latest show opened on March 17 with works by Chaille Trevor and Leigh Gusterson. Both artists show a passion for their subject matter – Leigh in her imaginative depiction of New Mexico scenes; and Chaille in her love of horses.

Leigh throws local color out the window; instead she paints what she feels: vivid blues, hot pinks and purples for the majestic mountains and still other bright colors for the fields. Old cars, sheep in 2-D (they kind of look like flat marshmallows with legs); a rustic cabin with a turquoise refrigerator outside are some of the images Leigh uses in her very personalized landscapes. She has an exuberant style and applies her paint generously.

Leigh Gusterson "Sheep with Turquoise Fridge" oil on canvas 21" x 21"

Leigh Gusterson "Sheep in the Junkyard" oil on canvas 25" x 35"

Chaille’s painting technique often involves sketching on the canvas first and then applying her paint thinly to produce a translucent, expressive style. Her work shows her knowledge and deep love of horses. She’s been training and showing Arabian horses for many years, and she invites us to know her subjects on an intimate level. For example, in the painting below, the horse looks at the viewer directly and evokes a very emotional response. 

Chaille Trevor "At Attention" 48" x 36" oil on canvas

An equally sensitive painting shows a mare and her colt leaning in towards each other, and we cannot help but feel the close bond between them.

Chaille Trevor "A Day in Spring" oil on canvas 36" x 48"

Don’t rush through his show! Each painting provides a wonderful moment of viewing pleasure!  

Below are a couple of photos from the exhibition:

Left: Chaille Trevor "His Prize" oil on canvas 36" x 48"
Right: Leigh Gusterson "Sheep in the Junkyard" oil on canvas 25" x 35"

Left: Chaille Trevor "Kissed by the Sun" oil on canvas 36" x 48"
Right: Leigh Gusterson "Dinner for Four"22"x28";
"Drive up into the Mountains"20"x20"; "Three on Llano" 16"x28"

 
"Wild Spirits" shows March 17, 2011 through March 30, 2011.

The next show is "Live in Color". It features Sherri Belassen and Ryan Hale and starts on Thursday, March 31st. We'll be getting new work by Ryan and Sherri soon, so send us an email for a preview.

"Dapper and Posh"

Trevor Mikula and Judy Feldman

Wilde Meyer kicked off its first of spring shows with an exhibit of paintings by Judy Feldman (me) and Trevor Mikula, called "Dapper and Posh." Personally, I think our work looks great together. We both love color and humor, yet our approach and techniques are different.

Trevor immerses his viewers into a world he creates by depicting funky characters and using geometric shapes and out-of-scale images, such as an oversized vase of flowers sitting atop a wobbly table about to tip over. He paints with a palette knife and uses a glossy finish to give his paintings a wonderful shine.

Trevor Mikula "Green Chair" acrylic on canvas 42"x42"

My paintings are colorful and playful, too. Often, I create an interior setting that evokes a place I'd like to be. And there's usually a narrative element in each painting. For example, in "Friends," a dog poses on his haunches in front of the mirror and sees his "friend" looking back at him. We know his owner has been there because she's left her shoes by her chair, both of which also are reflected in the mirror. I use a traditional brush technique, and often paint on a black gessoed canvas, which makes my colors pop. I love pattern - especially on chairs and pillows!

Judy Feldman "Friends" oil on canvas 40"x30"

I use a traditional brush technique, and often paint on a black gessoed canvas, which makes my colors pop. I love pattern - especially on chairs and pillows!

Wilde Meyer paired two of our paintings because they share a similar color palette. We each did a still life painting of a plant - in completely different ways, and they look really good together!

Here are a couple more photos:

"Dapper and Posh" is up until Wed. March 16, 2011. So stop by soon! The next show is "Wild Spirits" and starts on the 17th, and will feature Leigh Gusterson and Chaille Trevor.