Chris Gwaltney: Hiding in Plain Sight
Chris Gwaltney: Hiding in Plain Sight
Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time. Thomas Merton
Chris Gwaltney: Hiding in Plain Sight Exhibition: November 1 - November 30, 2019 Reception for the Artist, Saturday, November 9, 5:30 - 7:30 Front Cover: Chris Gwaltney, Zig Zag (detail), 2019, oil on linen, 50 x 44 in Back Cover: Chris Gwaltney, Hiding in Plain Sight (detail), 2019, oil on linen, 80 x 60 in
All rights reserved. Direct all inquiries to: Seager Gray Gallery 108 Throckmorton Ave. Mill Valley, CA 94941
Chris Gwaltney paints in a lush style, combining areas of abstraction with loose figurative elements. He experiments with sensuous surface finishes and compiles multiple layers of paint and oil stick leaving traces of earlier markings and drips. “You have to trust your gut,” says Gwaltney, “You want to leave enough out to give the viewer space to dive in. You want to find those marks and color combinations that are innately satisfying.” Painting for Gwaltney is a way of reflecting on his life and his place in it. His figures are solitary and reflective, often appearing to be walking forward – through the passages and events that make up our existence. Central to the exhibition is the large painting, Hiding in Plain Sight in which a strong black vertical trisected by two bands of “mist” or “smoke” is actually a figure that has been painted out. Gwaltney was responding to a quote by Zen Master Frank Ostaseski, “Death is not waiting for us at the end of a long road. Death is always with us, in the marrow of every passing moment. She is the secret teacher hiding in plain sight. She helps us to discover what matters most.” “It sounds dark,” he muses, “but it really isn’t.” The painting is transcendent, with patches of blue sky, reds, creams and gold, a reflection on the beauty of it all. With the recent passing of his father-in-law and parents, Gwaltney gives consideration to all the teachers that have appeared throughout his life – actual teachers, as in the painting Ms. Pollard, a fifth grade teacher who left an impression on him as a young student and his own family – those who have journeyed with him throughout his life. In the painting, Zig Zag, a lone figure walks forward in a field of Canton Rose (a color that Gwaltney loves and uses often) and a contrasting beautiful melon color. The effect, along with the sandy brown in the lower foreground is one not of loneliness, but solitude, peace – like walking at sunrise or sunset on a beach. An arrow coming from the figure’s shoulder and the tell-tale drawing lines of another leg and foot suggests the idea that the way is not always a straight line – that the path is varied and complex.
Teacher, 2019 oil on linen 36 x 36 in
In Teacher, Turkey Umber and Grey Chalkboard, like Ms. Pollard, the backgrounds are dark, but not black. There are undertones of blue, purple and green that give the airy quality of being outside on a velvety evening. Gwaltney lives on the ocean and it is easy to imagine that while his life is lived in the company of others, his contemplations of it are solitary, both on the beach and in his studio. The painting Bridal Veil refers to the recent engagement of the artist’s son to his fiancée. The painting is a lovely one, with sketchy drawing lines of color forming the outline of the dress and veil. Gwaltney’s latest painting is called Hoping in which the figure emerges from and is informed by a field of red. The red is reminiscent of Matisse’s Red Studio in which the strength of that color permeates everything and changes perspective. In Hoping, because we ourselves are figures, we feel the intensity in our body. We are physically immersed in red and the contrasting stripes of purple, white and gold. We are a part of it and it is a part of us. It is just these kinds of experimentations that make Gwaltney so successful as an artist, trusting his own instincts and providing an entirely unique experience in a painting. For Gwaltney a painting is a problem to be solved. It’s a puzzle, an equation that’s looking for a solution. “I’m drawn to art that allows me to see elements of that argument. The ruins of original thoughts still visible in lines or shapes in the finished painting engage me. Corrections, erasures, scratch-outs, over-paint and redraws are evidence of an active mind at work. The painting becomes a testament to time well spent.”
- Donna Seager, 10/2019
Resa, 2019 oil on linen 60 x 48 in
Adams Avenue Waitress, 2019 oil on linen 50 x 44 in
Bridal Veil, 2019 oil on linen 40 x 34 in
Zig Zag, 2019 oil on linen 50 x 44 in
Turkey Umber, 2019 oil on linen 55 x 44 in
Canton Rose, 2018 oil on linen 65 x 57 in
Capire, 2019 oil on linen 50 x 44 in
Gray Chalkboard, 2019 oil on linen 40 x 34 in
Ms. Pollard, 2019 oil on linen 40 x 34 in
Hoping, 2019 oil on linen 30 x 30 in
Prequel, 2019 oil on linen 25 x 22 in
Hiding in Plain Sight, 2019 oil on linen with cold wax 80 x 60 in
CHRIS GWALTNEY Education California Community Colleges, Instructor Credential, 1987 California State University, Fullerton, M.F.A., 1986 California State University, Fullerton, B.A., 1984 Selected Solo Exhibitions 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2015 2014 2014 2014 2013 2013 2013 2012 2012 2011 2011 2010 2010 2009 2009 2008 2007 2007 2006 2006 2005 2005 2004 2004 2003 2003 2002
Hiding in Plain Sight,Seager Gray Gallery, Mill Valley And Another Thing, Seager Gray Gallery, Mill Valley Julie Nester Gallery, Park City, UT Gwaltney, Seager Gray Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Cadogan Contemporary, London, England Julie Nester Gallery, Park City, UT Seager Gray Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Tria Gallery, Chelsea, NY Brett Rubbico Gallery, Newport Beach, CA Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA Tria Gallery, Chelsea, NY Seager Gray Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Sue Greenwood Fine Art, Laguna Beach, CA Seager Gray Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Tria Gallery, Chelsea, NY Julie Nester Gallery, Park City, UT Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Shadow and Absence Julie Nester Gallery, Park City, UT Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2002 2001 2001 2000 2000 1999 1999 1998 1998 1997 1997 1996 1996 1996 1995 1995 1995 1994 1993 1993 1992 1991 1991 1990 1989 1989 1988 1988 1988 1988 1987 1986 1986
Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Renaissance Cafe, Laguna Beach, California More New Work, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach Contemporary Figure, Robert Green Gallery Collaboration, Artist-in-Residence, UC, Irvine New Work, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach Recent Paintings, Five Feet Restaurant, Laguna Beach New Paintings, Renaissance Cafe, Laguna Beach, Essential Visions, Bistango Gallery, Irvine, California Source Material, New Work, Diane Nelson Gallery, Laguna Beach, California Recent Paintings, Renaissance Cafe, Laguna Beach Twelve Recent Paintings, Diane Nelson Gallery, Laguna Beach, California Recent Paintings, Diane Nelson Gallery, Laguna Beach Figure Eight, Diane Nelson Gallery, Laguna Beach S.I.T.E. Gallery, Los Angeles, California Diane Nelson Gallery, Laguna Beach, California More Questions, Fewer Answers, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art Gallery of Art, Rancho Santa Fe, California Irvine Valley College, Irvine, California Diane Sassone Gallery, Laguna Beach, California California State University, Fullerton West Gallery
Selected Group Exhibitions 2014 2013 2013 2012 2012 2009 2007 2005 2003 1998 1997 1996 1995 1995 1994 1994 1994 1994 1993 1993 1992 1991 1991 1990 1988 1989 1989 1989 1989
Tria Gallery, Chelsea, NY Sue Greenwood Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Five, Julie Nester Gallery, Park City, UT Museum of Art and History, Lancaster, CA Figures in Abstract, Seager/Gray Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Figurative, Peter Blake/ LA Louvre, Laguna Beach, CA Figurative, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Peter Blake Group Show, Peter Blake Gallery, CA Summer Show, Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA Painters, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Gallery Artists, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Expressive Figure, Three Painters, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA Recent Figure Paintings, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, California California Figurative, Robert Green Gallery, Mill Valley, CA International Art, Los Angeles, CA California Painters, Concordia Univ., Irvine, California Best of Laguna, Art Institute of Southern California, Laguna Beach, CA Irvine Valley College Faculty, Irvine, California Currents, Time /Space Gallery Laguna Beach, California Faculty Exhibit, Irvine Valley College, Irvine, California Essential Visions, Bistango, Irvine, CA Faculty Exhibit, Irvine Valley College, Irvine, CA Diane Nelson Gallery, Gallery’ Artists Group Show Contemporary 4 ,Bistango , Irvine, CA Furniture as the Artist’s Subject, Century Gallery, Sylmar, CA Figure 8, Diane Nelson Gallery Artists that Teach Art Institute of Southern California-Long Beach City College Exchange, Long Beach, CA S.I.T.E. Gallery, Culver City. CA
1989 1988 1988 1987 1987 1987 1987 1986 1986 1984
Faculty Exhibit, Art Institute of Southern California, Laguna Beach, CA Faculty Exhibit, Irvine Valley College, Irvine, CA Faculty Exhibit, California State University Long Beach, CA Amos Eno Gallery, Soho District, New York, NY Spectrum Gallery, San Diego, CA Diane Sassone Gallery, Gallery Artists, CA Faculty Show, Ettinger Gallery, Art Institute of Southern California, Orlando Gallery, Los Angeles, California MFA Exchange Show, Claremont College, CA All California ‘84, Laguna Beach Art Museum, CA
Selected Publications Colburn, Bolton (Former Director Laguna Art Museum, Independent Curator). Chris Gwaltney World. Exhibition review, 2015, Seager Gray Gallery, Marszalek, Norbert. Interview with Chris Gwaltney, (July 6, 2009) neotericART.com. Carasso, Roberta, In Review, 2008 A Great Year for Art Lovers, Orange County Register.com (Oct 10, 2008). Carasso, Roberta, Art Waves, Chris Gwaltney at New Peter Blake Gallery, (Oct 10, 2008) Orange County Register.com. Walsh, Daniella, The Art Attack, Riviera Magazine (Oct 2008) pp 50-51. Walsh, Daniella, The Radar Art, Riviera Magazine (Mar 2008) pp 84-85. Step into Color, Riviera Magazine (Mar 2007) pp 180-181. Thompson, Sandy, Chris Gwaltney at Robert Green Fine Arts, Artweek (Jul/Aug 2001 Volume 32 Issue 7/8) Cover + pg 20. Thomas, Linda, A Circle of Orange, pp 150-151. Carrasso,Roberta, Dazzling Colors Mark Gwaltney Exhibit at Blake Gallery, OC Register, Laguna News-Post, (Nov 4, 1999) p 24.