DAVID GRO S SMANN
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September 10 – 22, 2018 Jackson Hole Artist Reception | September 13 | 2:00–4:00pm
DAVID GRO S SMANN Autumn
Jackson Hole | Scottsdale | AltamiraArt.com
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Autumn Trees with Dark Hill Oil on linen panel | 24 x 18 inches Enquire
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Autumn The season: Autumn. The setting: A luminous aspen stand in Grand Mesa National Forest in western Colorado. The scene: A solo walk. The sensation: Total immersion in the forest, in the cascade of color as falling leaves whispered of time passing—heartbreaking sentinels of seasonal shift. The witness: David Grossmann.
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Ever attuned to nature, Grossmann spends much of the fall painting en plein air, recording its swift beauty. On that memorable walk, he vowed to create a series of seasonal paintings. The result, on view at Altamira Fine Art from September 10 to 22, is an homage to the palette and patterns of his favorite season: “Many of these paintings have quiet progressions in them, shifts of color and implied motion. Green leaves turn to yellow then orange and then the branches are empty. Patterns of falling leaves trace their way across landscapes and over skies with rhythms that speak of the approach of winter.” In the field, Grossmann paints intensely, working to forge a connection with the place in which he stands. Grateful for the opportunity to observe the landscape, he renders his gratitude in watchful detail, subtle shifts in light, weather, his own emotions. Reflexive and reflective, his studies render his relationship to nature—in that focused moment and his resolved practice.
“There is a consuming intensity to it, which can be very inspiring or very frustrating,” he says, even though the latter can lead to the most rewarding results: when insects swarm and heat boils in summer; when winter numbs his fingertips or spring pelts him with rain. The intensity of his en plein air excursions juxtaposes the patience of his studio practice. Inside, he surrounds himself with his studies, meditates on standout and subtle elements, and from these starting points, begins to compose a larger scene. “Sometimes my studio paintings are inspired by specific places, yet they are always a combination of memory, reality, and imagination,” he says. By example, Grossmann encourages viewers to pause, watch and listen to nature; to put aside distractions and conflicts with self and surrounds; to focus on stillness; to be and believe in beauty.
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Autumn Sky and Orange Leaves Oil on linen panel | 20 x 34 inches Enquire
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Mountain Autumn Stream Oil on linen panel | 12 x 7 inches Enquire
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Bright Trees and Brown Hillside Oil on linen panel | 12 x 7 inches Enquire
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Pine Trees and Bright Aspen Patches Oil on linen panel | 12 x 7 inches Autumn Transitions with Crescent Moon Oil on linen panel | 7 x 12 inches Late Autumn Patterns Oil on linen panel | 7 x 12 inches Enquire
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Quilted Autumn Oil on linen panel | 40 x 60 inches Enquire
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Patchwork Autumn Hill with Horses Oil on linen panel | 10 x 8 inches Enquire
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Autumn’s Patchwork Oil on linen panel | 10 x 8 inches Autumn Grove with Blue Sky Oil on linen panel | 7 x 12 inches Enquire
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Autumn Evening Encounters Oil on linen panel | 30 x 50 inches Enquire
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Golden Autumn Wall Oil on linen panel | 40 x 30 inches Enquire
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Autumn Meadow with Wind Oil on linen panel | 30 x 50 inches Autumn Flight Oil on linen panel | 30 x 40 inches Enquire
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Orange Leaves and First Snow Oil on linen panel | 7 x 12 inches Enquire
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Lowering Sun and Fading Autumn Forest Oil on linen panel | 30 x 50 inches Enquire
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Autumn Forest Glow Oil on linen panel | 60 x 40 inches Enquire
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Snow and Scattered Leaves Oil on linen panel | 18 x 24 inches Enquire
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Dusk Light Through Autumn Leaves Oil on linen panel | 20 x 34 inches Enquire
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Sky Patches Through Late Autumn Leaves Oil on linen panel | 40 x 30 inches Enquire
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172 Center Street | Jackson, Wyoming 83001 AltamiraArt.com | 307-739-4700
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