On display: February 1 - 2, 11 am - 6 pm

"Memoryscapes -- Blurry Lines III" 
Steve Alderton

Preview: February 1 - 2 , 11 am - 6pm
Opening Reception: Friday, February 3, 6 - 8:30 pm
Meet the Artist: Saturday, February 18, 1 - 3 pm

Steve Alderton’s exhibition “Memoryscapes: Blurry lines III” is the final component in his exploration of the landscape as a blurred memory.  The pastel tones and shots of dark shades that characterized the earlier works in the series remain, but the landscape structure has now melted away so that it, like work by Rothko, offers plenty of room for contemplation.  The paintings show landscapes that are “felt” rather than defined by our typical notion of what land, water or sky should look like in art.   Alderton used sponge rollers and large brushes to create the sense of fleeting, gauzy shapes that one might view from a car or plane while travelling through his native Midwest.  In one of the large works, the viewer catches a glimpse of velvety pink and purplish hues that might suggest crepuscular light falling on snowy patches – with angular fragments of cool black asphalt showing through.  In other paintings, vibrant greens and yellows hint at the late spring season when wheat and corn grow, covering the soil beside swaths of blooming mustard.  In addition to information about time of day and season, the works tell us whether there is rain or shine.  The artist is inviting viewers to linger and share in his blurry, nostalgic feelings for remembered places.