August 24th –
September 30th
NEAL NOVAK WEST TEXTURES
August 24th – September 30th
Bryant Street Gallery is excited to announce West Textures, a brand new exhibition by Neal Novak that explores the deep colors and shifting forms of the desert. Visit the gallery between August 24th and September 30th to take a walk through the evocative environments conjured by these paintings. The gallery and the artist welcome the public to an opening reception on Saturday, August 26th, from 3-5 p.m.
Novak’s latest paintings were inspired by his move from Baton Rouge, Louisiana to Tucson, Arizona. The surrounding landscapes, colors, and culture of the area all inform his art. His paintings evoke Tucson’s lakes and rivers, stratified rock, desert wildlife, bird’s-eye views of the city, and long shadows falling across rocky terrain. They are a product of both the natural landscape and the artist’s personal psychology.
Novak’s process consists of many revisions and layers. Each idea begins as a sketch, often reworked numerous times before making it on to the canvas. The composition is further developed though multiple passes of oil paint; the semi-transparent pigments building a sense of depth and history that reflect how his approach changes and grows over time. The end goal is to balance a sense of familiarity with surprise; he considers a painting complete once that equilibrium is achieved. His practice is an exercise of patience and focus, a meditation on the subject, the artist himself, and the experience where the two meet.
Novak is a self-taught painter who discovered his love for the medium unexpectedly while attending a public art event. He felt a spark ignite within and launch him on a fascinating process of discovery. Painting immediately became a fixture in Novak’s life. His dedication to his practice and sensitivity to his environment is evident in the intriguing, immersive works featured in West Textures
West Textures will be on view at 532 Bryant Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 from August 24th to September 30th, 2023. For more images and information please visit the website at www.bryantstreet.com or email us at bryantst@mac.com
Biography:
Originally from the Dallas area, Neal has lived most of his life in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was there, inspired by the landscapes and waterways of the Gulf South, he dedicated himself to painting. With encouragement from his uncle, Ron Lindsey, also a professional artist, and inspiration from painters such as Richard Diebenkorn, Raimonds Staprans, and Joan Mitchell, Neal slowly developed a style of painting focused on layering and depth. He has been showing his work professionally for eight years and sells paintings and collages across the United States. Neal and his wife, Tracy, recently moved to Tucson to enjoy sunshine, tacos, and dry heat.
Artist Statement:
I am a self-taught artist interested in conveying depth, serenity, and fluidity in my painting. Line, color, and shape inform my approach, but ultimately a painting for me only works when it captures a particular mood. I want my art to engage and even challenge the viewer, requiring them to retrace the steps I took during the creative process.
I usually approach a canvas with a particular endpoint in mind. After each session, I examine the work, reevaluate my goals, and sketch out on paper my new vision for the painting. A particular work may go through dozens of iterations before a final version emerges. A quote from Richard Diebenkorn, which I keep in my studio, serves as a reminder that painting is a journey that requires both imagination and dedication: “I can never accomplish what I want only what I would have wanted had I thought of it beforehand.”
Ideally, the end product is surprising and familiar all at once. I consider a painting a success when I’m able to find the right balance between these two competing ideas.
Canyon Kid Oil on canvas 36” x 36”
The Valley Oil on canvas 30” x 30”
Gumball Oil and pastel on canvas 40” x 30”
Surf Music in the Desert Oil on canvas
20” x 16”
City Square Oil on canvas 48” x 48”
Hummingbird Oil on canvas 30” x 24”
Community Garden Oil on canvas 36” x 24”
Sea Stack Oil on canvas 36” x 24”
