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Brad Price, Norman, Galisteo, Oil on Canvas
For the Love of the Land:
Landscape Paintings at Firehouse Art Center by Kelsey Karper The creative mind seems to have always been captivated by the land around it. The subject has spanned the history of art, being recreated in a countless number of styles and media. The landscape serves as an endless source of inspiration for many artists. An exhibition at the Firehouse Art Center in Norman is examining this fascination through an exhibition titled Interpretations of the Landscape, revisiting the importance of the landscape in today’s society. The featured artists in the exhibition are Brad Price and Rick Fry, both of the Norman area. The styles of the two artists are distinctive but their love of natural and untouched places is evident. Brad Price’s impressionistic paintings of northern New Mexico are colorful memories of places he has been. He describes himself as a romantic, a backpacker, and a lover of high places. Rick Fry paints in oil on panel, creating realistic images of unspoiled areas of the American landscape. In his artist’s statement, he says his favorite areas to work are where he can travel for miles without seeing evidence of people. His paintings include images of beautiful mountain ranges, roaring waterfalls and pristine lakes. Painting in plein air, Fry believes that a wildlife and landscape painter must be an observer first and foremost. By placing the works of these two artists together, the Firehouse Art Center hopes to stir the viewer to look past the “pretty picture” and question the artist’s intent in painting these intimate relationships with the landscape. Interpretations of the Landscape will continue through July 27.
Rick Fry, Norman, North to Ketechikan, Oil on Panel, 36”x48”
The Firehouse Art Center is located at 444 S. Flood Ave. in Norman. The Center also holds events for children and families. On July 1314, they will host the annual Mid-Summer Nights Fair. The Fair is a free event, providing an opportunity for the community to view and purchase artwork from talented artists across the region. Visitors will find live artist demonstrations, entertainment, food and a kid’s art area. For more information about Firehouse Art Center, visit www.normanfirehouse.com or call 405-329-4523. n
I know I’ve done my job when the viewer can feel the open sky or the grandeur of a mountain or the chill of winter’s first snow. -Rick Fry, painter 8