Greeting friends! Wow! What a relief. The first three weeks of my exhibition Puppet Masters – Making Fools of Us All have been, thank goodness, unlike 2018, a troll-free experience. My colleagues at Gallery 110 — George Brandt, Curator & Shayley Timm, Director — thought deeply how to reinforce the intended message of my paintings. Strategically placed trigger-warnings, appropriate quotations on large wall postings, images and books illustrating the work of past artists who painted difficult and painful subjects all contributed to a coherent message: that we live in dangerous times when the unscrupulous spread lies fomenting hatred, disgust, anger and fear.
People have been grateful for the exhibition — thanking the courage of my gallery and its artist-owners. Many have complimented my paintings – the layered techniques of textured randomness underlying multiple glazes applied with Renaissance-style detail. “Horrible…in the best possible way” wrote one art historian. Several asked, “Why isn’t this exhibition in a museum?” Yes, well…
SHOWING THIS WEEKEND
This weekend, Thursday – Saturday January 25, 26 & 27 are the last three days of Puppet Masters – Making Fools of Us All. Please come by and visit, or take an online look at the exhibition at https://www.gallery110.com/the-puppet-masters/ You can also review my exhibition catalogue, which attempts to explain the origins and motivations behind the works. https://www.gallery110.com/puppet-masters-catalogue-2024/ I would be grateful for your impressions of the exhibition and to start a conversation.
JURIED EXHIBITION
I am honoured that my painting — a “Nocturne of the Vancouver Inner Harbor” — was chosen for the Gallery 110 14th Annual Juried Exhibition by our 2024 Juror, Greg Robinson Curator of the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art. The 14th Annual International Juried Exhibition will be on display at Gallery 110 from February 1 – March 2, 2024. The juror will award first, second and third place prizes of $1000, $500 and $300. There will also be a People’s Choice Award of $200, voted on by visitors to the gallery’s First Thursday opening (2/1/24). The gallery is open to the public from 12PM to 5PM on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and by appointment. Come enjoy works by 39 US and Canadian artists.
UPCOMING EXHIBIT
Fragments of the Sea is the title of an exhibition of 20 seascapes that I will be exhibiting in March 2024 – again at Gallery 110 in Seattle. The core of the show will be 6 paintings of the “View from (within) the Waves” series – what you see a moment after a huge rogue wave has swept you off the shore into the winter ocean. Watch for your invitation or email me to request one.
With great affection and respect, David