Having started his art career as a portrait painter, Victor Blakey is always thinking about facial expressions. “My aim is for the viewer to consider the background and story of the personalities in my artwork. I want the viewer to imagine what is going on in the mind of the cowboys, mountain men or Native Americans depicted in my work.” While creating his Western paintings, Blakey draws upon the experiences he’s learned in portrait painting.
“I keep my compositions rather simple.
The Old Bear Hunter, oil, 24 x 36"
Noon Day Sun, oil, 24 x 18"
I ask myself, ‘What is this painting about?’ The answer typically leads to the heroic nature and possible hardship of the main character(s). I de-emphasize anything that distracts from that focus. This is a very important part of my style. In my mind, I imagine an Old West that was settled by strong men and women fighting against a harsh and unforgiving environment. This rugged individualism is a constant theme in my paintings. Portrait painting taught me to communicate this theme in Western art.”
Experience Counts, oil, 30 x 24"
Upcoming exhibitions for Blakey include Hold Your Horses! Exhibition & Sale at the Phippen Museum in Prescott, Arizona, through September 17; Bosque Art Classic at Bosque Art Center in Clifton, Texas, from September 11 to 25; and Art in the West at High Desert Museum in Bend, Oregon, through October 16.
Want to See More?
www.victorblakeyfineart.com
(214) 587-6103
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