At least once a year, I try to make a trip to Charleston, SC to go to galleries. One of my favorites is the Robert Lange Gallery. The work there is very contemporary and they have quite a variety, all of which is inspiring to look at as a painter.
The artist, Joshua Flint, had his work in the first room. I loved the dreaminess of his paintings. It's like he collaged memories and moments next to each other...and these blurry times all become one strange idea. The world he manages to create with these different images is unlike any other. The softness of paint application...featureless faces...color harmony...I felt a sense of nostalgia and curiosity looking at his work. Here were some of my favorites from yesterday.
One of my other favorite artists that they represent is Nathan Durfee. I think the stories he is telling with his already unique style of painting the figure is quite humorous and creative. Again, like Flint, unique and makes me giggle and smile. Also, having just studied portrait painting abroad, I'm enjoying seeing how he paints the face in these cartoon-ish people, putting one square of color and value next to the other.
I wandered into a few other galleries but there was one other stand out piece that I loved looking at which was at the Ella Walton Richardson Fine Art Gallery. This painting by Richard Oversmith I think truly captures a moment in Charleston with both it's pure colors, duality of thick paint application and leaving some areas of the canvas to show through, and the whimsical brushstrokes. There is a lot of energy...I feel like I am walking on this street. The cropping is nice too, as if we are placed here in this quiet moment.
