Blue Moon Gallery's new exhibits offer color and zen
Blue Moon Gallery has announced new exhibitions of original fine art from Waukegan artist David E. Dallison (watercolor), Laura LaRue (encaustic), David Hinske (acrylic) and David Pilkington (wood-turning).
The gallery's new exhibitions will be open to the public at an opening reception from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23.
Global Art
David E. Dallison has been a professional artist since graduating from the Ontario College of Art in Toronto, Canada, in 1987. Since then, he has lived over 20 years in the Chicago area, two years in Munich, Germany, and two years in Guangzhou, China. He currently resides in Waukegan with his wife and family.
"Over the last 25 years, I have explored and painted the people and landscapes of diverse cultures such as Italy, Turkey, Vietnam, France, Russia, Ireland, England, Spain, The Czech Republic, Slovenia, Germany, Poland, Hungary, Croatia, India, Nepal, Thailand, Indonesia, China, Japan, Cambodia, etc.," Dallison said.
"Encountering exotic locales and diverse cultures through painting has allowed me to observe what is shared and common to much of humanity. Despite our cultural and political differences, and no matter where we call home and what language we speak, we are united by our partnership with nature.
"These paintings tell the story of my travels and are a celebration of this earth and the places, events, and people that particularly inspire me," Dallison said.
Dallison's works on view at the Blue Moon offer a broad view of life outside the United States. His trips are a pilgrimage of sorts, in the spirit of bygone days when painters traveled near and far in search of the extraordinary.
Dallison travels light, necessity dictating what goes into his one backpack. He uses a compact box that protects paper and paints from the elements, which also converts into an easel. Traveling this way allows him to paint in the plein air method (working on location in outdoor light), capturing a range of vistas that inspire his imagination, no matter what challenges the terrain presents.
Joyous Color
Laura LaRue is a high school art teacher who works and resides with her family on the Northwest Side of Chicago. She paints primarily with encaustic wax, incorporating oils, mixed media, and ephemera.
Although she has been teaching art for over 20 years, she did not discover the art of encaustic painting until much later. First displaying her work at a local gallery in 2011, she has since found support and success through the Midwest encaustic group FUSEDChicago.
"My current work is an exploration of the push and pull of colors, the contrast between hard and soft edges, and mark making in all forms," the Crystal Lake artist said.
"With a dynamic and intuitive application of those elements, along with using a greater use of negative space, I try to visually convey the experiences we have through our other senses, such as listening to music, feeling a beat, or jumping for joy."
Using wax as her medium, LaRue is able to add many layers to emphasize depth and to embed small tokens, papers, and other ephemera in order to facilitate the visual metaphor.
The Zen of Trees
The gallery is excited to share the meditative, Zen-like ambience of David Hinske's new elegant acrylic paintings.
Hinske's paintings are nationally collected both privately and by public and educational institutions. His work is displayed in permanent collections in several states, and he has shown his work extensively around the country.
The Brooks Museum of Art, the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, Dyersburg State University, the University of West Georgia, and the Taos Center for the Arts have included his work in exhibitions and events. He has been a frequent juror, has been published as an artist, and was director/owner of the Cooper Young Gallery in Memphis.
Hinske's current collection of eight new paintings features the serene beauty and contemplative austerity of trees and tree branches. The results are striking and dramatic, yet soothing and calm, presenting a quiet, casual elegance that positively enhances any mood or environment.
In addition to those exhibits, David Pilkington of Wildwood is exhibiting a collection of exquisite candlesticks made from high quality local and exotic woods that are sustainably harvested, offer interesting properties and grain patterns, and which present excellent finishes.
The gallery's year-round artists - Leisa Corbett, Michael Litewski, Michael Bellefeuille, Bob Nonnemacher, and John Kirkpatrick - will also be displaying new and recent works in a variety of genres and mediums.
Guests are invited to attend an opening reception at the gallery from 6-9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 23. The gallery is at 18620 Belvidere Road, Grayslake. Masks are required inside the gallery. There will be a fire pit to enjoy and opportunities to meet the artists.
For more information, visit the gallery's website, www.thebluemoongallery.com, or call director Kendra Kett at (224) 388-7948.
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