"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.

Judy Feldman at an Evening with the Friends

Last Saturday, March 26, 2011, I had the privilege of attending An Evening with Friends, the annual fundraiser hosted by the Phoenix Friends of the Arizona Cancer Center.  The Friends are good "friends" of Wilde Meyer, and they often request a painting donation from one of the gallery's artists.

This year, they requested one of mine, "At the Villa Mandarine." All the printed materials were beautifully designed to coordinate with my painting and its colors. There were more than 400 people at the party, held at the Phoenician Resort. The Friends have raised more than $5 million for cancer research at the Tuscon-based center. This was another successful evening for them.

My painting was purchased by Margaret Taylor, a lovely woman who lives both here in Arizona  and in California. I was so happy to meet her, and we had our photo taken with the painting.
Judy Feldman and Margaret Taylor

"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.

Welcome Judy Feldman

We're happy to announce that Judy Feldman will contribute as an author to our blog!

Wilde Meyer has been representing Judy's art since 2004. Though art has always been a part of her life, Judy comes to painting after a successful career in public relations. The first thing you will notice is that her paintings are very, very colorful! She is influenced by post-Impressionist art which she studied in France during college and she incorporates fauvists ideas and techniques in her paintings.

"Cleo in the Red Room" by Judy Feldman 
36"x 36"


See more of her work at her website here and ours, here.