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Magazine
article:
Southwest Art Magazine Show Preview
by Elizabeth L. Delaney
Ken Elliott & Kim English
at the Total
Arts Gallery, Taos, NM
May 22-June 14, 2015
Total Arts Gallery unites two distinct yet
complementary talents this month as it hangs a
collection of new paintings by Ken Elliott and
Kim English. The two-person show, which features
15 oil paintings from each artist, opens on
Friday, May 22. A reception for the artists
takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. that night. The
show marks the first time Elliott’s visionary
landscapes and English’s light-infused
narratives have been shown together.
Total Arts Gallery director Harold Geller
chose to pair works by Elliott and English after
discovering one dynamic that links them
aesthetically. “In spite of their divergent
techniques and subject matter, they both display
a similar approach to the handling of color and
light,” he explains. “I think people will really
enjoy the combination.”
“I love the landscape and its infinite
variables,” remarks Elliott, whose paintings
illuminate the landscape of his imagination more
than they represent a straightforward portrait
of nature. Although his paintings loosely
reference photographs and plein-air sketches,
they refuse to exist within the confines of
already-prescribed images. Rather, they stand
independent of any |
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Ken Elliott,
Yellows With Reds Insisting, oil, 30 x 40
Ken Elliott, Sunset in Pinks and Orange II, oil,
48 x 72
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specific place or
time, the fulfilled pursuits of the artist’s
visual and intellectual explorations. Elliott
wields color boldly, creating sizzling, vibrant
shapes that are at once kinetic and placid,
grounded in unifying illumination, and focused
compositions. He has a fascination with line
structure as well, believing that “edges empower
colors.”
Elliott fully mines his techniques and motifs by
working on several pieces at once. “They feed
each other,” he says, explaining that, for him,
elements of one painting can readily spur new
ideas for or solve challenges with another
nearby canvas. Ultimately, his chief concern is
to create compelling pieces that are accessible
to viewers on every level. “If I’m excited, the
viewer will be, too,” he says.
Interested in extracting the inherent beauty
from scenes of the everyday, English brings his
narratives to life through a deft manipulation
of light and shadow. Whether depicting a
bustling street scene, a quiet interior, or an
austere portrait, English employs nuanced
highlights and contrasts to create a definable
atmosphere within the picture plane. “I like
light,” says the artist, “and I’m always looking
for the way it describes our world.” Thus, his
paintings become adroit studies in the way light
surrounds and defines—either through subtle,
delicate gradations or more dramatic contrasts.
English divides his painting time between the
outdoors and his studio, always working alla
prima, completing each piece in one sitting.
“Immediacy is important,” he says. “Not only
because it is often the nature of people, but
for me, it is the most instinctive way to
paint.” To that end, his paintings boast loose,
expressive brushwork, which lends an element of
tactility while also evoking that sense of
spontaneity he craves.
Anticipating a standout exhibition, Geller
says, “We are looking forward to a rather
exciting show of two artists with divergent
techniques who really complement each other.
Both artists are in their primes and have
cultivated strong followings.” The show runs
through June 14. —Elizabeth L. Delaney
Contact information for Total Arts Gallery:
575.758.4667
www.totalartsgallery.com
Featured in Southwest Art Magazine, May
2015.
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