Sky Descending Texas Landscapes by Gay Gaddis Curated by Rebecca Michelman

The Curator Gallery is pleased to present Sky Descending: Texas Landscapes by Gay Gaddis, curated by Rebecca Michelman. The exhibition is the artist's first solo show and runs from April 7 to May 7, 2016. End Quote

New York, NY (1888PressRelease) March 17, 2016 - The exhibition features over 20 landscape paintings that explore the changing weather in the Texas hills. Donning knee-high boots to protect herself from rattlesnake bites, Gay Gaddis takes her paint and canvas outside, working exclusively en plein air. Swept up by the seasons, colors and weather, as well as the big Texas skies, she channels the beauty and harshness of nature. Gaddis paints in the driving rain, wind, scorching sun or under the moonlit sky.

From fine washes of paint that are layered across vast fields of canvas, to thicker, more impasto brushwork that bursts forth from smaller scale works, Gaddis's painting makes you feel her physical presence in the landscape. Her work also evokes the timelessness of the broader natural cycles. "The weather in Central Texas is just a big drought interrupted by an occasional flood," says Gaddis. "My work explores the themes of survival, destruction and renewal." Her paintings demonstrate that hardships bring forth an intrinsic beauty - the vibrant colors of soaked earth following a long drought, the stunning colors of a Texas sunset or a sensuous moment of new growth.

Gaddis abstractly expresses the essence of the Texas countryside through her keen observation and clever resolution. "Painting is a matter of problem-solving," Gaddis observes as she discusses her technique, "working through how colors will appear next to each other requires an intense thought process." The result is a body of work that is both rustic and refined, translating the color and vibrancy of the Texas landscape into the aesthetic realm.

Gaddis has deep roots in the Texas Hill country. Her childhood in East Texas was filled with days on horseback, riding through her godfather's rice fields and helping with her mother's garden. Twenty years ago her family bought a ranch in the historic Texas Hill Country. All of the paintings in this show are created at their working ranch, Double Heart.

After earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art in 1977, Gaddis launched a career in the advertising industry that combined her artistic and creative skills with her love of writing. Her career and parental responsibilities took precedence over her passion for painting during these years, but she never abandoned her roots as a painter. Gaddis, who is well known in the business world as the founder of the T3 advertising firm, credits her business acumen to her training as an artist, and draws inspiration for both endeavors from her Texas ranch.

This is The Curator Gallery's third exhibition curated by Rebecca Michelman, following 2015's Enchanted Landscapes: German Romantic and Contemporary Prints and 2014's Print Facets: Five Centuries of Printmaking. Michelman is a private art dealer with Michelman Fine Art, a family business specializing in Impressionism, Modern and Post-war art. She gives frequent talks to private groups at The Curator Gallery.

The Curator Gallery is a fine art gallery in Chelsea that collaborates with notable guest curators for each exhibition. Founded and underwritten by Ann S. Moore, the retired Chairman and CEO of Time Inc., the gallery's mission is to bring exposure to hardworking artists, as well as to educate and expand the pool of engaged, serious collectors.

For more information, please contact Lauren Banyar Reich at lreich ( @ ) lbrpr dot com

###

space

Other Related Press Releases