For his solo show at Altamira Fine Art, Collected Works, New Paintings, Ruminations on Twenty Years of Art, Bradford Overton “shows off” his many artistic talents learned throughout his career and his collection of toys that serve as his main subjects. “People ask me how long it takes to do a painting, but I never tell them. Every single one took 20 years,” he says of his prolific art career.
Overton adds that while he’s expanding on past themes and subjects—including minimalist and Indian blanket backgrounds, as well as his paper sky series—there are a couple of surprises for the new show. Collector’s will find three mini cowgirl portraits reminiscent of the artist’s pinup series, and water scenes—both new subjects to the artists oeuvre.
Lord of the Plains, oil on canvas, 48 x 60 in.
“I’m revisiting some themes in a fresh way,” Overton shares, “so there are some variations that I’ve been using for many, many years. I’ve condensed a lot of experience and time painting in this body of work, that utilizes tongue and cheek visions taken from vintage, prewar lead toys. I’m also showing my experience with composition, color theory, theme and design.”
As far as his technique, Overton says that he’s “continuing to use solid academic techniques in oil painting.” The artist employs the classic “direct painting” and a glazing technique. “This is when you lay down thin layers of paint that light passes through and comes back to the eye as if it went through pieces of glass,” Overton describes. “It gives a warm, rich look to a painting. It’s a Renaissance technique that I used predominately in my work in the last decade, and now I’m bringing it back. I use both techniques interchangeably.”
If I had a Boat, oil on canvas, 48 x 48 in.
Other elements that make their way into Overton’s work, are his fascination with figures of the West and the artist’s love of music. He uses classic songs to title his pieces, as is the case for show painting If I had a Boat, a song by Lyle Lovett. “I’ve had this little Native American toy in my collection for years and only painted it one time,” says Overton. “This is a special toy beccause the figure is not doing anything and is at rest. So many cowboys and Indians in a kids’ box of toys are all fighting, lassoing something, or shooting bow and arrows. But this guy is just at rest. It’s a more meditative, peaceful image. I put him on a boat in the water, added a moon to create a nocturne painting—making for a peaceful evening.”
In another show painting, illustrating a beautiful paper sky, is Lord of the Plains.“While I was painting, I decided to put in the eclipse,” he says, “which is a scary thing in Native American culture. However, the Comanche were known for not being afraid of anything. They were fearless, which made them feared by everybody, and they dominated the plains.
Trouble Shooter, oil on canvas, 48 x 36 in.
Overland adds, “I loved this toy, but never painted it with a paper sky background and never used an eclipse before. It’s got red rain, the eclipse, two different moons—both crescent—clouds and the sage color prairie grass.”
Collected Works, New Paintings, Ruminations on Twenty Years of Art includes around 10 fresh paintings, and is on view at Altamira Fine Art’s Jackson, Wyoming, location starting July 30 and hanging through August 13. An artist reception is held Thursday, August 1, from 5 to 8 p.m., with the artist in attendance. —
Altamira Fine Art 172 Center Street » Jackson, WY 83001 » (307) 739-4700 » www.altamiraart.com
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