Though the subjects he paints are inanimate, Scott Yelonek’s still lifes feel alive. You’ll know them when you see them: vintage cameras imbued with storied pasts, emboldened by clean white backdrops. They speak of a bygone era filled with nostalgia, dusty roadside attractions, folksy small towns and the promise of the American Dream.
Checked In On Route 66, oil on canvas, 48 x 48 in.“Every camera carries its own story, and through my work I hope to evoke a sense of memory and nostalgia for the viewer…Most of them come from antique and vintage shops, eBay or through friends and family. I know I’ve found the right camera when it has real character, especially if it features unique details that set it apart,” Yelonek explains.
The artist paints in a photorealistic style, which he's honed over the course of more than three decades. Working primarily in oil and watercolor gives him both the control and spontaneity to capture the subtle nuances of his Americana subject matter.
Duaflex Tops Brownie, oil on canvas, 36 x 36 in.
Kodak - Roy’s Motel, oil on canvas, 54 x 42 in.
In addition to the nation's 250th anniversary, this year also marks the 100th anniversary of Route 66. As a nod to this, Yelonek has also strived to incorporate elements of the historic highway into this latest body of work. Perhaps the most indicative of this is Yelonek’s oil on canvas Checked In On Route 66, which features a menagerie of Southwestern roadside memorabilia, including a Route 66 postcard and an Arizona Highways magazine. In Kodak - Roy’s Motel, the center of the camera lens depicts a tiny view of the motel and gas station, a famous Route 66 stop in the mid-20th century.
These paintings and others will be showcased in an upcoming exhibition titled Once Upon a Highway at Altamira Fine Art in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Kodak - Big Red, oil on canvas, 54 x 42 in.
Through Worn Lenses, oil on canvas, 36 x 30 in.
“Scott Yelonek treats Americana as both subject and metaphor. In Once Upon a Highway, his meticulously rendered objects such as cameras, books [and] roadside icons become quiet witnesses to a slower, more intentional America,” says Jason Williams, owner of Altamira Fine Art. “These paintings aren’t nostalgic, they’re reflective. They ask us to pause, look closely and consider how memory, travel and storytelling intersect along the open road.”
Starmite Camera, oil on canvas, 24 x 24 in.
Yelonek says, “I hope the Route 66-themed paintings reflect a sense of Americana and the memories of how we once traveled. From old motels and diners to quirky roadside attractions, they speak to a slower, more unhurried pace of life. The other paintings invite their own journeys, allowing the viewer’s memories to lead the way.”
Once Upon a Highway runs March 24 to April 4, with an opening reception on Thursday, March 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. —
Altamira Fine Art 7038 E. Main Street • Scottsdale, AZ 85251 • (480) 949-1256 • www.altamiraart.com
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