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May Issue 2003
Christa Faut Gallery in Cornelius, NC, Features Works by John Borden Evans
The Christa Faut Gallery in Cornelius, NC, will present a solo exhibition of paintings called, Locust Grove, by John Borden Evans opening May 1 and continuing through May 31, 2003.
The exhibition will
be Evans' 6th solo exhibition with the Gallery. There will be
19 paintings on view, a multitude of his recent landscape paintings
with compositions of cows, sheep and chickens. The thickly layer
acrylic paintings often form semi-sculptural surfaces. Over the
many years of painting, Evans developed a distinctive style that
suggests a sophisticated version of abstract American folk art.
Evans offers the following about this exhibition: "In this
show, Locust Grove, I continue my exploration, in acrylic
paint, of imaginary views of the landscape around our house in
North Garden, VA. 'Locust Grove' is the name of our 150 year old
farm house.
"When I begin a painting, I have no idea what the finished painting will look like. I sometimes begin a painting by writing a message to myself. For instance, I recently started a painting by writing 'slow and steady' and 'Eliza' and 'Patrick' - my children's names - on the canvas. As I paint over this, an image might suggest itself in a color, shape or texture and this process will continue over and over as the surface of the paintings gets thicker and thicker. Sometimes tree-like shapes transform into sheep and vice-versa."
"I love to paint over old paintings. The history of the painting and my decision making process are usually in evidence. The discovery of ideas and unusual compositions hidden in all the layers of paint are what I like best about painting. My paintings are like memories or dreams that I have found buried deep down in each painting."
"This show includes images of farm animals. Locust Grove is surrounded by many farms. Cows, chickens, sheep and horses live near us. Because I have a flexible work schedule, my neighbor often calls me when he needs a hand with his herd of cows: vaccination, fence repair, making hay, etc. I have a neighbor with chickens who sometimes calls on me to tend her chickens when she goes out of town."
"Twenty five years ago I worked on a sheep farm so I'm also very familiar with sheep. There is a flock that lives down the road from us. I've always liked animals. Maybe that's why they have crept into my paintings."
"Night scenes, which I began painting in 1997, also fascinate me. My night paintings, I think, are more like the way we remember night than the way it actually looks. In reality, there is little color and visibility at night, but we remember it more vividly. I am always searching for ways to look at night and day and the world around our house. Even after the nearly 23 years that we've lived here, there is a lot to discover."
For further information check our NC Commercial Gallery listings, call the gallery at 704/892-5312 or on the web at (www.christafautgallery.com).
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