Inspired by light and atmosphere, as well as the landscapes of Ireland and rural Pennsylvania, artist Jeffrey Reed presents new works in a solo show hosted by Gross McCleaf Gallery in Philadelphia. Opening January 11, the show, titled Doonfeeny Studies, showcases roughly two dozen small gouache paintings of Reed’s time in Ireland that, in the artist's words, "reveal the history and impact the land and the sea have on lives and community. My paintings have always been inspired by specific moments and observations. Light and atmosphere are the two elements that inspire me the most…I hope that someone looking at my paintings would have a sense of the familiar while at the same time [discover] something new. The light might feel familiar but the abstract shape of a field might be a new discovery for a viewer. This is also what drives me as an artist—the familiar and the new.”
Yellow Hill, gouache, 6 x 7"
With a teaching and residency connection at the Ballinglen Arts Foundation in Ballycastle, County Mayo, Ireland, Reed spends a couple months painting there every summer. “The area is beautiful, wild, welcoming and full of surprises,” Reed describes. “The community and the Ballinglen are important parts of the experience, but the weather and the land are what bring me back each year. I rarely travel when I am in Ballycastle. Within walking distance of my cottage and studio there are limitless motifs, but more importantly, there is always a different light and atmosphere to respond to. This is what excites me as a human and inspires me as an artist.”
Kerry Farm, gouache, 6 x 7"
For instance, in show piece Sheds, Doonfeeny—the title referring to the location in Ireland—we see two buildings side by side, seemingly connected. “[This] is a view that I see often. It is next to the cottage where I stay in Ballycastle,” says Reed. “There is a group of five buildings that are like still life objects. In the evening, the light hits the buildings creating wonderful shapes. I have drawn this grouping many times exploring compositional options. This composition of having the buildings up close with a distant view appealed to me.”
Sheds, Doonfeeny, gouache, 6 x 7"
Reed also shares that he’s been exploring gouache for the past three years, beginning with the hope that it would make for good sketching. “Through the gouaches I have explored color and design in ways that are a little different than what I was working on in my oil paintings…Working with gouache allows me to combine painting and drawing pursuits.”
Regarding his process, Reed says that his working method varies quite a bit. “I might create a painting 100 percent on location, 100 percent in the studio or somewhere in between,” he says. One piece in the show, Kerry Farm, was painted on location during a visit to Ireland's Dingle peninsula, after a day of hiking along the coast. “The elevated view allowed me to play with the buildings against the intense blue of the water,” Reed explains. “The sky seemed to have a conversation with the buildings in the way that they marched across the page. I am very interested in the interaction of the various elements of a painting and how they work together.”
Doonfeeny Fog, gouache, 6 x 7"
Join Gross McCleaf Gallery in celebrating Reed's latest work from January 11 through February 3, with an opening reception on January 13 from 1 to 4 p.m. —
Gross McCleaf Gallery 127 S. 16th Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 • (215) 665-8138 www.grossmccleaf.com
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