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American Impressionism: Then and Now
Exhibited July 1 to July 27, 2004
(Gallery Reception Sunday, July 4th, 5-7 pm)
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Over a year in planning, this exhibition encompasses impressionist landscapes from 1865 to 2004. Leading off the exhibition is one of the earliest American impressionist painters, Maria a' Becket, who is cited in many American art references of her era. She was born in 1840 in Portland, Maine, daughter of Charles Beckett, a Maine Landscape and genre painter. In 1865 she studied with Homer Dodge Martin and later with William Morris Hunt in Boston. She was also influenced by the Barbizon school and painted with the famous French painter Charles-François Daubigny (an 1865 sunset by Daubigny is included in the show as a reference point).
"Study of the Outdoors" by Maria a'Becket, ca. 1875
Her painting, "Study of the Outdoors", (ca. 1875) is an exquisite oil on canvas that exudes her brilliant tonalist eye with wonderful impasto effects creating reflections and light play. Her palette is strong, dense, deep with greens, burnt sienna, deep blues, and a mature loose brushstroke that displays her natural talent as well as the experience gained by studying with the masters of early impressionism. Though her Barbizon influence is often stressed, this work reveals strong elements of Tonalism and Impressionism and is quite similar to her seminal work "Northern Lights."
As a youth, Wilson Henry Irvine (1869-1936) was exposed to the art world during the peak of Impressionism and remained true to its tenets throughout his career. However, as a nationally renowned painter in Chicago and later in Old Lyme, his paintings displayed a mastery of a school that had ceased to be the leading force in Western painting. Despite this, Irvine continued to innovate and introduce new themes establishing himself as one of the premier plein air painters of his era. During the first three decades of the 20th century he exhibited this fresh new form of American Impressionism in the National Academy of Design, Art Institute of Chicago, Lyme Art Association, Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, etc.
"Field by the Sea" by Wilson Henry Irvine
His painting, "Field by the Sea" (ca. 1918) is a large impressionist oil of a field in autumn with partially denuded trees in the background, with a lighter, warmer palette depicting a rocky meadow in the foreground. It is typical of his early style of New England landscapes painted after his association began with the artist colony in Old Lyme in 1914, where he painted in the wake of such luminaries of American Impressionism as Willard Metcalf and Childe Hassam.
Bernard Corey (1914-2000) is also nationally recognized as one of the finest plein air landscape painters active in New England during the twentieth century. He was certainly one of the most highly decorated with approximately 100 awards including seven gold medals to his credit. Corey painted on location all over the Northeast alongside other great New England masters who were his friends, including Aldro Hibbard, Lester Stevens, Emile Gruppe, Paul Strisik and many others.
A Connecticut landscape by Bernard Corey (1914-2000)
This painting is an impressionistic study of a high summer meadow landscape identified as being near Woodstock, CT. Corey always painted what nature presented to him on a given day. This looks to have been a rather turbulent windy day. The brushwork and mood are somewhat more dynamic and the overall effect more distinctly impressionistic than the usual calm found in Corey's more realist landscapes.
An Autumn landscape by J.B. Kotzbauer, ca. 1932
J.B. Kotzbauer was an extremely talented early 20th century German American artist. This work is a fine antique oil on canvas painting that depicts a mountain valley in Autumn with trees and a running stream. The finely detailed texture of the foliage and the play of light and shadow along the stream and hillside make this a visually appealing addition to the show. Originally a Christmas gift, it is clear from the inscription on the back that it was painted sometime before 1932.
One need not look to the past for fine examples of American Impressionism, for it is alive and well today with painters working in all 50 states and in all seasons yielding a rich diversity of canvases depicting the American landscape.
Contemporary Artists
Four contemporary American Impressionist Painters were selected from
across the United States to represent the many new directions of this
revitalized genre.
"Spring Morn" by Dennis Sheehan
Dennis Sheehan, born in Boston in 1950, is a member of the Guild of Boston Artists, and currently lives and works in the New Hampshire countryside. His work is in major public and private collections, including the White House. Sheehan paints in the Barbizon mode with remarkable authority and faithful adherence to his 19th century precursors. In the tradition of the Tonalist painters, Sheehan creates landscapes of mood, affected by nature's changing seasons. "My goal is to have the painting emanate light, rather than be just a surface that records the reflections of light. This is why the shadow areas are important, for it is from them that this emanation proceeds. The light areas are focal points of this effort, but the power comes from the shadows." His painting entitled "Spring Morn" reveals the skill of an artist inspired by the reflections of early morning light.
Don Bishop is rapidly emerging as one of the most accomplished tonalist painters in the Pacific Northwest where he divides his time between plein air and studio work. Most of his pieces are painted alla prima using different color combinations according to the season and light. His roots are firmly planted in the early Californian impressionism because of the outstanding patterns of color and atmosphere associated with this school.
"November Morning" by Don Bishop
A good example of his Tonalist style is this recent painting entitled "November Morning." Don has won several awards at recent shows including a blue ribbon at the 2003 Lake Oswego Art Festival, and has patrons throughout the US include Senator John Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, of North Carolina.
"Autumn Drama" by Susan T. Geoghan
Susan T. Geoghan, nationally known for her charcoal drawings and sculpture, has spent the last several years dedicating her focus on painting. While working closely with the paintings of the Pennsylvania Impressionist School, she became enthralled by their rich textures and strong sense of pure color. The Modernist/Impressionist style landscapes she has developed in their wake draw from that same palette and incorporate elements of the Hudson River School, as well as her own distinct style of composition and chiaroscuro. She has recently served as a Chair of the Board of Directors of the historic Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club in New York and exhibits annually at the National Arts Club in Manhattan and at the Broome Street Gallery in Soho. Her painting, entitled "Autumn Drama," reveals a bold palette expressive of the flashes of color seen in the sky at sunset.
The youngest artist in the show, William McLane, Jr., grew up watching his father (accomplished New England artist, William N. McLane) paint -- and knew from a very early age that it was what he wanted to do, too. By the time he was sixteen he was already displaying in galleries. Now more that 10 years later it is his full time occupation. His style is always changing and evolving.
"Moonrise Over Blue Hills" by William McLane, Jr.
This painting, entitled "Moonrise over Blue Hills" depicts a moonlit blueberry barren with the mountains of Acadia rising in the background. It is representative of his impressionist landscapes, with the subtle moods and colors of dawn and dusk. Primarily a self-taught artist, he has been influenced by old masters from Rembrandt to Monet as well as by modern painters such as Picasso, Matisse and Pollack. He continues to have a deep interest in abstract art and considers it the foundation of his recent work.
Please visit the gallery reception on Sunday, July 4th, 5-7 pm.
See the calendar for future exhibitions. |
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