Justus Fine Art Gallery to continue artist studies in August exhibit
Justus Fine Art Gallery will continue to showcase a selection of artist studies, along with examples of more developed work, during the August exhibition.
The gallery will be featuring work by artists including Mark Blaney, Randall Good, John Lasater, Laura Raborn, Gary Simmons, and Emily Wood.
The gallery, located at 827-A Central Ave., will host a reception for the exhibition from 5-9 p.m. Friday as part of the monthly Gallery Walk in downtown Hot Springs. The exhibit will be on display through Aug. 30.
“A selection of Mark Blaney’s watercolor stud- ies and larger oil on canvas pieces demonstrates how studies can play an important role in the creative process,” the gallery said in a news release.
“Study for Moonlight on Cedar Brake” by Blaney focuses on a group of horses under the cover of trees that are included into the oil painting, “Moonlight on Cedar Brake.” “Artist studies are often quickly executed and can help work out compositional issues. These more loosely rendered pieces can also often stand alone as finished works as Blaney’s studies do,” it said.
Raborn’s series of studies of environmental artist, Reece Camp Carter, “illuminates how Raborn utilizes studies in her work. Raborn states about the importance of this stage in development of her final work.”
“The benefits of studies are numerous. They allow me to test ideas, to experiment, to try various compositions and color palettes. It is visual brainstorming. I can play with scale, texture, line quality, brushwork, values, tone, treatment of the space, everything! And there is no pressure; after all, it is “just a study.” Often this stress-free approach allows the humble study to become a final piece of art. The experimental nature can make them even more alluring than final ‘polished’ paintings,” Raborn said in the release.
“Studies are also a way to warm up the mind and hand — and figure out if I am able to draw or create a subject in an interesting way. I used to think doing studies would add so much time to my ultimate goal, the larger finished painting. But they actually save time, making the art production more efficient. I can still change course midway through a large painting, but if I’ve done at least one study ahead of time, I start the larger piece at a higher place, making the end result a stronger painting than it could have been without the studies.
“Throughout history, humans have reproduced what we see in the world, not for the goal of making or selling art, but for the joy of reflecting, interpreting, and appreciating something out there. Studies are a reminder of this essential, core purpose of creating,” Raborn said.
Simmons has been working from live models for nearly 50 years. “The drawings and paintings that result from those sessions range from quick gestures to more defined work when a pose will be held for longer periods of time. Due to the time constraints of working with a live model, the artist must make composition decisions quickly. The gesture drawings focus on loosely capturing the pose of the model. Having honed his drawing skills over many years of working as a professional artist and instructor, Simmons moves beyond just capturing the physical structure of the models, to infusing the work with the personality of the subject. While he primarily uses the work with models as practice, the exercise often yields work that is more finished, along with informing other figurative work he undertakes,” the release said.
Owned by artist Dolores Justus, Justus Fine Art Gallery offers a wide range of original art including sculpture, paintings, ceramics and photography by recognized artists. Opening receptions are held in conjunction with the Hot Springs Gallery Walk held from 5-9 p.m. the first Friday of every month in downtown Hot Springs. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and by appointment. Call 501-321-2335 or visit http://www.justusfineart.com for more information.