BILLY SCHENCK
CROSSING THE DOTTED LINE July 7-19th Thursday: July 10th, 5:00-7:00 PM
ALTAMIRA FINE ART JACKSON
172 Center Street | Jackson, Wyoming | 307.739.4700 7038 E. Main Street | Scottsdale, Arizona | 480. 949.1256 www.altamiraart.com
Blood on the Horizon, Oil on Canvas, 40 x 50 inches
BILLY SCHENCK Portraits of Native Americans and the use of shadows feature prominently in the exhibit of new work by acclaimed contemporary artist Billy Schenck. In these striking paintings, the artist seems to have been inspired by dusk, when shadows fall long and heavy across the landscape. A cowgirl’s face is obscured while the peak of her hat remains visible, complimenting the deepening oranges and browns of the desert; an outlaw from a movie still escapes across the desert, projected on a lofty white cloud backdrop. In this new work, Schenck continues his investigation into the trope of the Old West. Using a comic humor as well as sincere gravitas, the artist displays the folly as well as the pride of Western people. His new Native American portraits are emotionally evocative, while a dot painting of a cowgirl offers a lighthearted, 1970s-esque bravado. Taken as a whole, the new work finds the artist playing with subtleties in tone and color while still being bold in his subject matter. Billy Schenck lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His work can be found in numerous major collections throughout the world, including the Smithsonian Institution, Denver Art Museum, The Autry Museum of Western Heritage, Booth Western Art Museum, Tucson Museum of Art, and many more. Schenck’s work has been the subject of four museum retrospectives, including The West as It Never Was, at the Albrecht Kemper Museum of Art. The 2013 illustrated book, Schenck in the 21st Century: The Myth of the Hero and the Truth of America, by Amy Abrams, features paintings, caption drawings and caption paintings produced by Schenck from 20002012. The book received a 2013 U.S. Literary Award for For More images from Billy’s show please visit: http://www.altamiraart.com/exhibitions/84/works Fine Arts.
Cliff Opposed Violence, Oil on Canvas, 36 x 36 inches
The Fateful Ride, Oil on Canvas, 40 x 40 inches
Spurs & Heels #1, Oil on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches
Spurs & Heels #2, Oil on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches
Spurs & Heels #3, Oil on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches
The Signal, Oil on Canvas, 20 x 20 inches
A Purple Striped Shirt, Oil on Canvas, 20 x 20 inches
Red Rihanna, Oil on Canvas, 36 x 36 inches
Late Clouds Across the Canyon, Oil on Canvas, 25 x 33 inches
Boots of Teal, Oil on Canvas, 30 x 36 inches
Cliff was Brilliant Oil on Canvas, 36 x 30 inches
For more information please contact Dean Munn at dean@altamiraart.com or Katherine Harrington at katherine@altamiraart.com or call 307.739.4700 www.altamiraart.com