we cannot hardly believe the first gallery opening of 2019 is tomorrow! we are thrilled to be opening four solo exhibitions for four amazing painters philip geiger, francis livingston, kim testone and brigid watson. hidell brooks has always been drawn to painters and especially fascinated with how each artist has their own technique of applying paint to the surface. viewing these four painters together is a treat. each has their own methods and subject matters they have developed over time.
philip geiger has been an art professor at the university of virginia for over 30 years. he earned his bfa from washington university and went on to complete his mfa at yale university. geiger’s lustrous light, loose brushwork and subtle color tellingly capture the nuances of mood and feeling that make up the more peaceful moments of contemporary family life. geiger eschews a specific narrative in his paintings, challenging viewers to meditate on our society's daily rituals and settings, and the meanings which may underlie seemingly mundane moments. his work has been reviewed in the new york times, art in america, artnews, and the new criterion.
francis livingston studied at the rocky mountain school of art in denver before moving to san francisco in 1975 to attend the academy of art. he later taught there for 10 years. influenced by sargent and whistler, livingston painted primarily in a monochromatic style until he began to study the work of the bay area figurative movement, including richard diebenkorn, wayne thiebaud and others. with a love for nostalgia, he paints places which may no longer exist or that have lost their luster. his bold and impressionistic paintings take the viewer back in time to the day when amusement parks with wooden roller coasters, movie theatres with neon signs and buildings with ornate embellishments were in their prime. francis livingston is known for his thickly applied brush strokes that emphasize shape rather than line, creating an abstract approach to realism. his scenes of yesteryear have exciting movement, color, texture and balance.
brigid watson is a boston based painter. she holds a masters degree from new york university and undergraduate degrees from the school of the museum of fine arts, boston and tufts university. her lush abstract impasto paintings are known for their rich color, and are inspired by people, places, experiences, and travels.
“Artists since the times of Chauvet and Lascaux have reflected upon their environments and made work about what they saw and experienced. This is a continuous theme throughout art history. Some of these artists painted literal landscapes, while other artists such as myself make art about the environment in broader terms. My work often interprets the natural world and my experience in it. I maintain that now even more than ever, it is crucial for people to reflect upon their surroundings. Scientists and politicians voice their opinions about the environment everyday. It is my job too, to observe and express my point of view.
The physical qualities of the elements intrigue me, but while I am cognisant of the the forms waves take as I walk along the coast near my home, I am equally aware of the smell of the sea and the sounds the ocean make. As I take my tenth or ten hundredth step along the same path, I am aware too of the how the water erases time. As I walk in the sand today, I maybe reliving childhood wonder. Memory jousts with the present, and all of my colliding experiences cohabitate in painting. The present moment is inexorably entangled with the past and reduces us to our basic selves.
My challenge is to distill the electricity of a lightning storm and the 90 degree, 100 percent humidity of the air in August and articulate it with color and marks. My truest goal has always been to paint the quality of the air. The weather is never banal.”
-brigid watson
kim testone holds a ba in drawing from the university of central florida and a masters in arts administration from savannah college of art and design. kim is a former art magazine editor, writer and theme park caricature artist. her paintings focus on ordinary objects, with a bit of a quirky and sentimental twist. she paints subjects that celebrate imagination and entertainment, from nostalgic toys and games to colorful desserts to trompe l'oeil pieces that aim to fool the viewer's perceptions. she resides in syracuse, new york, with her husband and their three cats.
“my hope is to capture a little bit of unexpected joy in everyday subjects and surprise the viewer. if my work can elicit a smile or help someone recapture a warm memory, that's a pretty good day."
-kim testone
all new work by each artist can be viewed on their individual artist’s tabs. the opening reception is friday, january 4th from 6-8 pm. please call the gallery if you have any further questions.