Caleb Meyer and Ron Russon explore color and place with Chromatic, their two-man show at Gallery Wild in Jackson, Wyoming. From Yellowstone wildlife to downtown Jackson bars, the artists riff off regional culture, exploring different takes on the area’s greatest hits.
Raised in Hailey, Idaho, and now calling Missoula, Montana, home, Meyer knows mountain towns as a local. His paintings of landmarks like Million Dollar Cowboy Bar bring to mind good times—perhaps his collectors’ as much as his own. Meyer’s campfire paintings often come straight from life, gleaned from trips with family and friends.
Caleb Meyer, Rain or Shine, oil on canvas, 60 x 48" Russon, a Utah-based painter, explores wildlife themes within a framework of planning and chance. He taps into the physical qualities of paint—building it up, thinning it down, leaving construction lines and drips—all while carving out distinct animal forms. The resulting patterns take on an almost textile-like quality at times, full of texture and variegation.
For Chromatic, Russon is focusing on megafauna like bison, moose, bear, elk and wolves while making space for a personal favorite. “I’m a fly fisherman at heart, so there will always be fish included somehow,” he says. A River Runs Through It didn’t hurt the popularity of the sport either. Robert Redford made that movie and everybody wants to be Brad Pitt swimming in a river, catching fish and stuff,” he laughs.
Ron Russon, Tres Lobos, oil on canvas, 36 x 60"
“I guess some of my subject matter becomes metaphorical or nostalgic,” says Russon, whose own rural way of life has changed as Utah farmland turns to strip malls. He’s interested in the symbolism, strength, power and authenticity of wildlife. “A moose is a moose is a moose. What you see is what you get. It’s genuine.”
Ron Russon, Cold River Run, oil on canvas, 24 x 30"
“I always want to do more than just paint a landscape or a cityscape,” says Meyer, who tries to create a personal sense of place in his work. “It’s a lot easier to feel connected to it in a way that’s more than just an image.” No doubt informed by his time in the outdoors, Meyer’s use of light and color temperature have matured with his practice. “I’ve gone through seasons where I’m doing straight screaming color out of the tube. And I’ve realized that the neutrals are really important because they allow the color to pop.”
A close family friend and former apprentice of Robert Moore, Meyer’s impasto work links back to the Idaho painter. “I learned so much about paint application and design,” he says of working with Moore. “Then it was kind of fun to get to grow into my own sort of style or grow into my own as an artist.”
Caleb Meyer, Deep Green, oil on canvas, 48 x 48"
Meyer plans to do a painting demo at Gallery Wild while he’s in Jackson for the opening. “I think that’s always really cool to connect to people, that way they can see the process and engage in that way and see how the magic happens,” he says.
Chromatic will be on view July 21 to 31 with an artists’ reception July 21 from 4 to 7 p.m. —
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