This October, Susan Powell Fine Art in Madison, Connecticut, will host the exhibition Eight Takes on Realism featuring work by eight award-winning artists who are helping define the style. Exhibiting will be Kathy Anderson, Del-Bourree Bach, Pete Bergeron, Zufar Bikbov, Tom Hughes, Anne McGrory, Larry Preston and Deborah Quinn-Munson. Gallery owner Susan Powell says, “Their powerful, distinctive voices are major forces in contemporary realism today, and we’re excited to showcase their technical expertise, diverse narratives and unique styles.”Tom Hughes, Vermont Pasture, oil, 20 x 24"

Hughes’ painting Vermont Pasture depicts a place he found in Randolph, Vermont, while on a painting trip with fellow artist T.M. Nicholas. “The cows, all horned, milled around. It was a very active sky. The ox just in front of the tree in the picture was painted in while I was out there—not finished, but fully indicated,” says Hughes. “The studio work of finishing a painting is, for me, linking everything together in a kind of visual and textural harmony, the components of which are not explicitly definable, but which reveal themselves as the painting is worked on. To start, I’m trying to get the painting to look like how the place/experience feels to me; in practice, this means arriving at the ‘right’ color combinations for the harmony that works, and building up the paint surface, in a way that feels right.”Kathy Anderson, Peonies and Iris, oil, 20 x 16"

Peonies and Iris is a work Anderson painted from life in her garden. “I plant my garden with paintings in my mind, so I put the white irises near the white peonies to have a harmony while varying the shapes,” she explains. “The yellow irises add another point of interest, and the yellow is repeated in the center of the white irises. Because of this variety, to keep the painting from being too busy, I kept the values of the leaves very close, while showing subtle detail so you know they’re specific leaves.”Deborah Quinn-Munson, Tidewater, oil, 28 x 22"

Peter Bergeron, Shoreline Cloud, oil, 24 x 18"

A billowing cloud is the highlight of Bergeron’s painting Shoreline Cloud. Describing the work, he says, “The calming quality of the low-lying shoreline is a natural contrast to the commanding white cloud resembling a tall ship gracefully making its way out to the vast open sea.”

Quinn-Munson’s painting Tidewater portrays the quiet beauty she hopes to evoke in her work. She says, “Blue skies and clear, distant views convey the feeling of a refreshing midsummer day in Tidewater. Textural marks in the foreground water indicate reflection of the clouds and add movement to the painting. The sweep of fair weather clouds suggest a gentle breeze on this beautiful day by the shore.”Anne McGrory, Red-tailed Hawk, pastel and 18k gold leaf, 14½ x 24"

The pastel and 18-karat gold leaf piece Red-tailed Hawk, by McGrory, came about after a close encounter the artist had with the raptor. “I came across him while walking my dog close to home. He didn’t fly away and seemed totally unfazed by my presence,” she recalls. “I ran home, grabbed my camera and fortunately he was still there when I returned. I was able to get about 5 feet away from him, observe and photograph him for the better part of an hour. It was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had. He had such strength and confidence, yet at the same time this beautiful serenity.”Larry Preston, Apples, oil on panel, 16 x 20"

Preston’s still life Apples is all about the light. “In particular, the sunlight falling on the leaves and the way it passed through the leaves to the apples,” he says. “I am always interested in the way filtered light falls on a subject, in this case the apples, creating a softer luminescence.”Zufar Bikbov, Ready to Take Off, oil, 11 x 14"

Del-Bourree Bach, My Old Pal, acrylic, 12 x 24"

Bach’s sailboat painting My Old Pal “is a dinghy that I’ve enjoyed painting over the years. This painting has all the challenges that I enjoy tackling—shallow water, double reflections and the feeling in the texture of the boat of age and wear,” he says. “The small pool of water in the dinghy is another element I’ve added for interest.”

Ready to Take Off, by Bikbov, was created from studies he did in Port Clyde, Maine, this past August. He says, “This scenery represents a real working area, with commercial boats arriving, unloading fish and departing. That building in the background, is exactly where all this activity happens.”

Eight Takes on Realism will be on view October 1 through 30, with a reception opening night from 5 to 8 p.m. —

Susan Powell Fine Art
679 Boston Post Road • Madison, CT 06443
(203) 318-0616 • www.susanpowellfineart.com 

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