William Baczek Fine Arts | 4/29-6/6 | Northampton, MA

A Dynamic Dialogue

William Baczek Fine Arts celebrates 30 years with a gallery-wide showcase

By Sarah Gianelli

Over the past 30 years, William Baczek Fine Arts has established a reputation for presenting work that exhibits technical mastery and unique creative vision by both emerging talent and renowned artists. An anniversary exhibition celebrating this milestone is on view at the Northampton, Massachusetts, gallery through June 6. The show features 20-plus gallery artists and upwards of 40 artworks that reflect the gallery’s commitment to excellence and its “broad view of what contemporary painting and sculpture can be.”

Chie Yoshii, Warrior, oil on linen, 24 x 18 in.

One of the most prominent contemporary realists working today, Larry Preston has been showing his work at William Baczek Fine Arts since they opened their doors three decades ago. “I love being a part of a gallery with so many wonderful, accomplished artists,” he says. “Will [Baczek] has chosen well. His knowledge of art is extensive. He also always hangs a beautiful show, always making my work look great.”

Larry Preston, Three Pears, oil on panel, 14 x 11 in.

Preston will be showing Three Pears, a composition-focused piece that demonstrates how an artist’s masterful handling of light can render it the primary subject. “I wanted to juxtapose the smooth, organic skin of the pears with the way the light reflected off the hard, shiny surface of the raspberry prunts (bumps) on the stem of the glass,” explains the artist. “I was also captivated by the reflection of the windows and the way they accentuate the curvature of the glass.”

Yin Yong Chun, who has been collaborating with the gallery since 2007, will be represented by Peaches with Ancient Chinese Painting which, like much of his work, blends Eastern cultural elements with Western oil painting techniques. “Ancient Chinese paintings often carry strong narratives,” he says, adding that in the present example the background scene, showing a group of horse riders, is set in the Tang Dynasty. “The central figure in the painting is Lady GuoGuo, the sister of an imperial consort of the Tang,” he explains. “Peaches are often compared to longevity, prosperity and good fortune.”

Also on display is Chie Yoshii’s Warrior, depicting a fierce armored woman with a wolf companion. “Life feels like an endless battle. In that sense, we are all warriors,” she says.

Scott Prior, Flowers in Afternoon Window, oil on canvas, 24 x 20 in.

“When we make a decision and take the courageous first step into the unknown, we might be fearful and anxious, but excited and hopeful. The moment is charged and alive. This painting captures that moment.” Yoshii has been showing at William Baczek Fine Arts for nearly 10 years. “My first solo show at the gallery did not do well, but Will assured me that the paintings will find homes,” she shares. “While some other galleries expect an immediate success, Will allowed me the time to grow and develop as an artist. His belief in me encouraged me to keep painting.”

Jeff Gola, represented by Baczek since 2014, created February Evening,depicting a rural scene in Western Massachusetts, specifically for the anniversary exhibition. “The [reference] images that I chose had a quality I look for in a subject, which is that it stimulates thoughts and personal memories for me to think about during the slow and meditative process that egg tempera entails,” he explains. “In this case, those thoughts included a feeling of the close of the day, and the transition of seasons from winter to spring.”