Wild & Free
Four-artist show
Mountain Trails Gallery’s upcoming group show will feature new works in contemporary Western art from notable painters Troy Collins, Lyn St. Clair and Andrew Bolam, and bronze sculptor Bryce Pettit, each artist bringing seven to eight works. The exhibition runs September 19 through 26.
Gallery director Chad Repinski describes Collins as “a master of impasto technique, applying heavy strokes of vibrant oil.” He continues, “Troy has always delivered colorful scenes. This year, he’s used that style to present wildlife that embodies the texture he’s known for, with a look into megafauna that appeals to both our traditional and contemporary collectors alike.”
Bolam brings several of his massive, texturized wildlife works, including pieces featuring a moose, elk and wolf. “The work in the show will be new paintings from my ongoing series of contemporary wildlife portraits. I am exploring ideas around lost and found edges and abstract marks. I am also featuring a bold use of negative space in creating what I hope to be interesting designs,” says Bolam. “While the finished work appears to be quite real—on closer inspection the viewer will see that texture and abstract shapes have been built into a representational depiction of the animal that I am portraying. The finished paintings have a sense of movement and I hope that they capture the emotion and feeling of a close encounter with a wild animal.”
Also depicting animal forms is Pettit, who knows “the character and anatomy of almost any animal. They’re sometimes playful, often elegant, but always accurate in their anatomy and action,” says Mountain Trails Gallery owner Adam Warner.
In addition, Repinski describes the work of wildlife artist St. Clair consisting of “subtle color arrangements [that] keep the mood simple and serene...she’s always in the field, and it shows in her work. That time helps capture the quiet moments that come through on canvas.”
The exhibition begins with an opening reception on September 19 from 9 a.m. to noon.