Now and Then, A Retrospective

Now and Then, A Retrospective is a solo exhibit on display in the Bristol Room of the Kirkland Town Library.      Oct 1-31, 2024. 

I am currently showing 40 paintings spanning 40 years, at the Kirkland Town Library in Clinton, NY. The exhibit runs through the end of October.

It is so interesting for me to see this collection of my paintings in one space. I decided to hang them chronologically, to highlight the changes in my style over the years. It begins with two paintings that I made while attending art school, and ends with two paintings that I completed a few weeks before installing the show, plus a sampling of everything in between. After college, I did a lot of mixed media works, on cotton rag printmaking paper. I combined watercolor, ink, pastels, conte and gouache, creating varied textures, with an emphasis on drawing. I have gotten away from mixed media, (pastels are so dusty, I don’t like to use them in my home studio), but I do like to jump from oils to watercolors and acrylics.

Reflecting on the earlier paintings, I am reminded that back then, I was making art nearly every day. As life got more complicated, I found I had less free time to paint. Just like any art form, the more often you practice, the more freely it seems to flow. I think that accounts for the energy in these earlier paintings. But that’s not to say that I don’t value my more recent work just as much. As an artist, its only natural to evolve, experiment, continue to learn, and change your focus. How uninspiring it would be if we did the same thing, year after year! Life changes affect our outlook, our mood, how we see the world…all of which influence the work we make.

A few months ago I came across my Senior Thesis. I typed it on an old, totally manual typewriter. Who remembers those?! I love the feel of the embossed letters when I touch the backs of the pages. Aside from the tactile pleasure, it was really nice to read it again. As a student in Philly in the mid-80s, I recall seeing galleries full of dark, black and grey paintings. I felt that the world had enough darkness, and I didn't want to add too it. I have always admired the works of Henri Matisse. And when I found this quote, I based my thesis on it.

“What I dream of is an art of balance, of purity and serenity devoid of troubling or depressing subject matter…a soothing, calming influence on the mind, rather like a good armchair which provides relaxation from physical fatigue.” Notes d’un peintre (1908), Henri Matisse.

I realize now that I still feel the same way about my art and why I make it, as I did back then. So if you get a chance to see my show, pull up a rocking chair, and let the colors and the clouds carry you away.