Beginning November 12 with a meet-and-greet, Cutter & Cutter Fine Art will feature around 22 compelling pieces by Josef Kote, a Connecticut-based artist by way of New York and Albania. In Jubilee: A Collection of New Original Works, the gallery celebrates 10 years of representing Kote’s vibrant acrylic paintings. The artist takes on a variety of subject matter in his signature style, ranging from cityscapes to figures and even beach scenes. 
Illuminated Sky, NYC, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48"
The majority of his pieces for the show will include scenes from New York City. “My intent when painting for this exhibition was to not only capturing the light and energy of the city, and the visual joys of everyday life, but to perceive the world through my own experiences,” Kote says. “Making these paintings has been a really rewarding exercise for me. Exploring new things is very important for me as a painter, and for this collection, I experimented with lots of ideas and tried to focus more on the powers and sensibilities of color by making each body of work something that will both surprise and entice.”
Americana, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48"
One can see his strong reliance on composition, light and especially color in Illuminated Sky NYC, a spectacular skyline look at the landscape of New York City. Kote’s unique style, often described as “edgy” with “bold brushwork” is more closely seen in the beach composition The Quiet Beauty of the Setting Sun. Both works also embody Kote’s implementation of abstract elements, something he began using in early 2000, when he also made the switch to acrylic paint. “Those changes lead me to work with different techniques and methods,” he says.
The Quiet Beauty of the Setting Sun, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 48"Kote adds, “I’ve spent my life creating art, and the passage of years has most certainly added experience, but it is through experimentation and many failures that the growth happened. I’ve tried everything and have learned what I like, and what I do not like, experimenting with all kinds of different approaches and always challenging myself in the studio.”
Although Kote comes from a school of artists who believe in the merit of painting from life, he does enjoy working from his studio. “I’ve been making these new works with sketches made from life and with the use of photographs,” he says. “I take my own photos of things that inspire me, always looking for interesting subjects, lighting effects, colors, etc. Studies and sketches help but memory plays an important role in my creative process.”
The Promise, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48"
Viewers can delight in more city scenes such as Americana, which further explores the artist’s expertise in color, while also offering a different perspective of the inner workings of a bustling city. Kote’s style shows us the city as it is, while also elevating the scene with amazing visual stimulation achieved by his use of abstraction, mixed with his own insights.
He says, “For the first time in a while, things in my soul are at peace, and collectors will be able to notice that in my new work. I’m at a point where I make art that makes me happy and am driven by my self-satisfaction making it.”
Kote’s new works will remain on display through December 13. —
Cutter & Cutter Fine Art
25 King Street • St. Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 810-0460 • www.cutterandcutter.com
Powered by Froala Editor
