While Montana-based painter Colt Idol is known for his vibrantly colored teepee scenes, he also focuses on a variety of subject matter, including wildlife, landscapes, figures and portraits.
In a new solo show, titled A Western Drama and hosted at Coeur d’Alene Galleries, the artist pushes his own boundaries to improve his painting practice and to explore new directions.
Chief Mountain, oil, 6 x 8 in.
“Colt has incredible control of his color values, and it’s a subtlety that gives his paintings a refinement that goes beyond just bright colors,” says Buddy Le, managing director of the gallery. “We’re especially excited for A Western Drama, because Colt is constantly challenging himself to be a better artist and I think collectors will see his passion show through with this body of work.”
For the new show, Idol showcases paintings that explore new colors as well as departures in style—heading in a more contemporary direction. “In some pieces, I will be doing my best to construct a balanced and completed scene, and in others, trying to destruct and reduce a painting down to its most essential and impactful areas,” Idol explains. “I’m choosing to focus on a number of elements that have been a large focus of my work for years now, in an attempt to further expand and improve within those areas—light, color, composition and exploration of the medium.”
Lost in Admiration, oil, 20 x 20 in.
Idol also discusses that the theme of the show is the title itself, “a Western drama.” It′s a phrase the artist has admittedly turned over in his head for some time now. “I like the idea of approaching the paintings with very thematic and dramatic elements, and trying to add an extra layer of emotion/interest to the pieces,” he says. “As an artist, it’s tricky asking questions like, ‘How can I add more drama in the form of subject matter, paint, color, etc.?”
For his show piece Lost in Admiration,we see Idol in action with a scene depicting three Native American figures on horseback “admiring” a boldly colored sky. “I wanted a sky that performs many functions,” says Idol. “It needed to naturally extend below the ridgeline to give the Native riders elevation and a sort of silhouette appearance. I wanted it to be layered and complex enough, and I wanted it to have ‘weight’ above the riders, which means some darker values and bulkier shapes. Also, I wanted the sunset to have the feeling of one of those colorful sunsets right after a storm…Symbolically this could be the final scene to a movie. The rains have cleared and triumphant heroines stand tall against the peaceful backdrop.”
Wild Horses, oil, 24 x 24 in.
The show will also include Idol’s classic teepee images, seen in Wild Horses. He explains, “Wild Horse Island is a beautiful island on Flathead Lake we used to hike on frequently as kids. We would see bighorn sheep, abundant birdlife and even wild horses. It is said that the Kootenai Indians would pasture horses there to keep them from being stolen by other tribes. The horses are illusive though, almost mystically so. The painted symbols of the teepee represent those illusory horses. The painting speaks to me in many of the same ways that island does—mystical, almost eerie in its solitude, but beautiful.”
Idol will present around 15 paintings for the show, which opens on Friday, June 15. An opening reception will be held on the same day, from 5 to 8 p.m. —
Coeur d’Alene Galleries 213 Sherman Avenue, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814, (208) 667-7732, www.cdagalleries.com
Powered by Froala Editor
