Dear Subscriber:
My wife and I were recently in Paris revisiting its many world-class art museums. We became reacquainted with “old friends” (artists’ works I have revered for years), while finding as always new favorites on those venerated walls. We were fortunate to be there for an exhibition near the Louvre by Wendy Artin, a friend I met at figure drawing sessions at the American Academy in Rome years ago. Her fluid but painstaking interpretations of the statues and facades of ancient Rome and the live human form are absolutely masterful.
It’s so important to take the time to see great art “live” not just objects represented on screens and in books. After all, paintings are created to be seen in person, not pixelated or reduced by print, for the same reason we eat food, and not the menu. Generally.
Returning to more local art events involving my own work in the Twin Cities, the Buffalo region, and Philadelphia:
I’ll start with Philadelphia, since that event is already in progress. A couple of my paintings are included in an exhibition titled Concerning the Spiritual in Landscape, at Gross McCleaf Gallery in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood downtown. I have shown with Gross McCleaf for years; my fifth solo exhibition there was last fall. This new group exhibition features works by some wonderful painters, and began appropriately, happily - on Earth Day (April 22). It continues through May 27. I plan to be there from 1-3pm on Saturday, May 6, for the artists’ reception.
Next is Nature as Muse, my first solo exhibition at Meibohm Fine Arts, running from June 10 to July 15. The gallery is near Buffalo in East Aurora, NY, a vibrant town renowned for its central part in the Arts and Crafts movement starting in the late 19th century. The opening reception is Saturday, June 10, 10am-2pm. I’ll send out an invitation for this closer to the date.
Groveland Gallery in Minneapolis another gallery with which I have enjoyed a long association is hosting exhibitions to celebrate their 50th anniversary. The first, titled Past, is running now and features works that look back to artists they showed in their early years. Their next exhibition (Present) will include some of my works alongside the many talented painters currently represented by the gallery. The opening reception is Saturday, June 10 from 2-5pm, and like the Meibohm exhibition, this runs from June 10 to July 15.
I wish you some great art viewing no matter where you are. It’s one of the fundamental things we know about ourselves that ever since people gathered in caves, the shared experience of art figured prominently. Sometimes you just have to be there.
Thank you for subscribing to these updates!
- Thomas.