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Dry December Morning

Len Heid came by this afternoon to drop off his Palouse landscapes for our upcoming show which opens tomorrow.  Len is a classically trained oil painter who lives in Moscow, Idaho, and loves to drive the back roads through the hills and fields of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho.  For him, painting is all about carefully observed light.  His painstaking technique is reminiscent of the Hudson River School, focusing on the infinite variations of light working on the land.  his favorite times of day are sunrise and sunset.

We had a long discussion, as we usually do, about the role of beauty and craft in art.  The painting above represents what he believes in well.  To me it is also an unusual balance between representation and abstraction.  It is clearly a very realistic landscape, but because the artist has pared down the forms, it is also just a series of lines and shapes defined by color.  And in Len's case the crowning accomplishment is the glowing light, the luminous aura, which suffuses the work.

The Visual Arts Are Alive and Well in Spokane

In the words of my husband, “That damn Sue Bradley’s everywhere.”  So I found another place to be – my own blog.  I have owned and managed an art gallery and bookstore in Spokane for the last 9 years.  I have been involved in the visual arts in this city for over two decades as an artist, museum trustee, art school trustee and volunteer.  Although a lot of exciting and rewarding things have happened during that time, there have been several significant changes in the arts since the time I have opened the gallery.   

The visual (and the performing arts) are under stress now from a variety of sources, many of which have to do with the Great Recession.  Public financial support for the arts is being questioned, schools are cutting the arts from the core curriculum, collectors and art lovers are wary of spending large sums for art pieces that might not be seen as “essential.”

None of this changes, however, the reason that the arts exist and flourish – human beings are compelled to bring beauty into our lives.  Art can be enjoyed and experienced regardless of income level.

So I’m going to use this blog to continue to remind everyone why we love art.  I’ll try to bring new art experiences, new thoughts (or maybe rehash some ones you’ve thought of before) and keep imagination in our daily lives.  Come to this space to see fabulous new paintings or sculptures, hear about new books, and get other stimuli for your imagination.  I’ll try to post regularly but sometimes I have an off-the air life, too, so there will be some gaps.

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite images, Device in a Hurry, an oil painting on paper by Harold Balazs.