Front cover: Lyford House Day, oil on canvas, 48”x36” Back cover: Lyford House Evening, oil on canvas, 48”x36”
© 2011 Gallery Bergelli. All rights reserved. 483 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur, CA 94939, www.bergelli.com, 415-945-9454
Gallery Bergelli features contemporary paintings and sculptures done by national and international artists. It presents work that is both visually exciting and technically strong in a unique and inviting space.
Iconic Marin: Paintings by Bryn Craig Introduction by Casey McCabe Exploring and illuminating one of America’s most fabled regions, Gallery Bergelli is presenting Iconic Marin: Paintings by Bryn Craig. Only a handful of counties in America enjoy name recognition, evoking a landscape, a history, or a way of life that goes beyond its borders. Northern California’s Marin County is one of them, and longtime Marin resident Bryn Craig never has to look far for inspiration. Yet while most artists gravitate to Marin’s pastoral, sun-dappled hills, Craig’s eye for detail stretches from the marquee of a Larkspur movie theater, to a tree shrouded view of Bolinas Lagoon. A respected realist whose works place the viewer in the moment, Craig insists he is not a photo realist. “I’m not interested in the snapshot. I try to include much more than just the surface of a place. I want to express my emotions about the subject and to stimulate emotions in the viewer.” For local residents, Iconic Marin engages both an appreciation and curiosity for the place they call home. A familiar landmark like Mt. Tamalpais reveals an unexpected beauty from an unusual angle, while a half-lit country inn, the edge of a neon sign, or a barren coastal landscape test the viewer’s Marin memory. A downtown nightscape captures Gallery Bergelli itself. For those unfamiliar with the region, Craig’s richly expressive oil paintings provide a compelling tour. While no one has yet declared a Marin school of painting, Iconic Marin: Paintings by Bryn Craig offers a definitive look at an artist influenced by his surroundings. “I’m interested in finding the poetry and beauty in even the most ordinary places and things.” says Craig. “Having seen all angles of Marin in all seasons, over many years, these scenes are personal to me. Put together, it tells a story.” Born in Pennsylvania in 1931, Craig developed a passion for painting from his earliest years. He studied at the Philadelphia Museum College of Art and spent summers at the Art Students League in New York. His work has been shown in exhibitions at the Philadelphia Museum as well as the Corcoran Gallery in Washington D.C. He has received numerous awards and has been featured in American Artist magazine. Mr. Craig has been a Marin resident since 1978.
Kings Speech, oil on canvas, 30”x40”
Larkspur Night, oil on canvas, 48”x72”
Mt. Tam Sunset, oil on canvas, 36”x48”
Cloud Shadows, oil on canvas, 36”x48”
Lighthouse Pt. Reyes, oil on canvas, 16”x20”
Bolinas Lagoon, oli on canvas, 36”x71”
Art Club, oil on canvas, 24”x30”
China Camp, oil on canvas, 30”x40”
Opening Day, oil on canvas, 24”x36”
Blue, oil on canvas, 40”x30”
Oyster Company Tomalas Bay, oil on canvas, 30”x40”
Pelican Inn, oil on canvas, 40”x30”
Bryn Craig
Born: 1931 in Lansdale, PA. Education: Philadelphia Museum College of Art Art Students League of New York Teaching: Philadelphia Museum College of Art Selected Exhibitions: 2010 Dominical University of California, San Rafael, CA, “Bryn Craig: A Retrospective”, solo exhibition Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, “Picture Novato”, group exhibition 2009 Gallery Bergelli, Larkspur, CA, “Bryn Craig: New Paintings”, solo exhibition 2008 Gallery Bergelli, Larkspur, CA; Foxhall Gallery 2006 Arches Gallery, Healdsburg, CA; Claudia Chapline, Stinson Beach 2003 Parkside Gallery, Carmel, CA; 2002 Garden Gallery, Half Moon Bay, CA; 2001 Preuit Collection, Gig Harbor, WA 2000 Henley’s Gallery, Sea Ranch, CA 1999 La Celle, San Anselmo, CA 1996 Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA 1994 Lawrence Gallery, Sheridan, OR 1992 Modernism, San Francisco, CA 1989 Olga Dollar Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1980 Editions Limited, San Francisco, CA 1979 SFMOMA Artist’s Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1975 John Pense Gallery, San Francisco, CA 1974 Henley’s Gallery, Sea Ranch, CA 1973 Challis Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA 1970 Moody Gallery, Pasadena, CA; Challis Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA 1963 Corcoran Rental Gallery, Washington, D.C; Michelson Gallery, Washington, D.C 1961 Philadelphia Art Alliance; 1960 Philadelphia Museum of Art Awards and Honors: Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, “Picture Novato”, Best of Show Award Philadelphia Museum Regional Show- Honorable Mention Southern California Exposition, Del Mar- Honorable Mention Juror- Festival of Masters, DisneyWorld, Orlando, Florida Juror- 1996 California Watercolor Association- Open Show Purchase Award- Fannie Mae Foundation Public Collections U.S. Embassy, Berlin, Germany U.S. Embassy, Dar el Salaam, Sudam