McGowan Fine Art announces the opening of “Trio”, a group show featuring the work of
John Bonner,
Ken Greenleaf, and
Lucy Mink. This show brings together three artists who paint in a similar color palette, but apply the paint in different ways. The show will run May 1 – June 1, with a reception taking place May 4, 5 to 7 PM. The reception is free and open to the public.
Originally from Colchester, Essex in England,
John Bonner depicts local New England scenes, primarily
coastal landscapes -- from his present hometown of Marblehead, Massachusetts, to the historic seaport of Portsmouth, NH. He includes glimpses of the sea in his paintings, even if only hinted. Bonner chooses to depict less familiar views – the back of old farm buildings, with weathered clapboards and dilapidated window panes, an unassuming side street, or a rooftop view. He has the ability to capture beauty in these humble subjects, lending significance to the ordinary. Bonner begins his process by working from photographs he takes himself on location, thinly applying glazes and painting with broad strokes, with a raking light and crisp, contrasting shadows. As he approaches completion, he brings the
canvas to the original locale, and completes the painting on site. This process allows Bonner to get details, like the meticulously painted clapboards and rich colors of his painting, “Farm Buildings”, just right.
John Bonner has exhibited throughout New England. One of his paintings was recently selected for display in Monserrat Embassy as part of the Art in Embassies Program, Washington, DC.
Shapes fascinate Maine artist
Ken Greenleaf. Previously working in larger scale for public works, Greenleaf has created smaller pieces for this show as part of his “Gauge Series”, to encourage more personal interaction. “These small colored pieces exist to be looked at individually by one person at a time. Each is a private event”, says Greenleaf. His geometric shapes are elegant in their simplicity. Twisting and turning, they defy expectations of how seemingly flat objects relate on a two dimensional surface. The shapes have movement, playfully interacting with one another like a tangram puzzle. “They are visual thoughts of masses
and planes in space, cut loose from the weight of materials, allowed to click and spin and resolve, or not, into a temporary tableau of color”.
Unlike Ken Greenleaf’s hard, defined edges, Lucy Mink’s work is raw, with ambiguous shapes and patterns. Her process involves layering paint, adding, deleting, scratching, and sometimes sanding the surface – editing until she is comfortable with the final product. Mink’s imagery stems back to sketches in her high school notebook – curvy lines, geometric patterns, and bulbous forms. Her titles, such as “
Sometimes I Feel Uncomfortable and Prefer to be Alone and Look Good” or “I Hope I Always Recognize My Brother When He's an Adult” is a reflection of internal experiences and situations. She says, “My paintings are a visual diary of my life. I can look at a painting, and know what was going on in my life at that time. The titles give me words to go with the diary. It’s like a little bit of poetry I get to do”.
Lucy Mink recently moved from Syracuse, NY to NH. She has exhibited throughout New York and New England, and recently received the
Pollock-KrasnerFoundation Artist grant.
