The annual Fall Harvest show, a tradition since 2005, returns to the Plainsmen Gallery this October. The show will feature approximately 75 paintings and sculptures by 18 prominent Western artists.
Offering a broad mix of traditional and contemporary pieces, with an emphasis on small- to medium-sized works, featured artists include Victor Blakey, Brian Bateman, John Coleman, Jim Eppler, Grant Hacking, Hyrum Joe, Denny Karchner, Deb LaFogg, Steven Lang, Bonnie Marris, Monte Moore, Ed Natiya, John Nieto, Dustin Payne, Suzie Seerey-Lester, Terry Smith, Trevor Swanson and David Yorke.
David Yorke, A Stillness in the Air, oil, 30 x 24 in.
Although Yorke grew up in a suburb of Miami, what he describes as “a hot flat land of the tropics,” he has always been captivated by the mountains of the West, fueled by the TV Westerns of his youth. His small-scale oil My Hiding Place depicts a young girl in frontier times clutching her favorite doll. “This wagon has become a safe space for her to play, to dream and find escape from the real world,” says Yorke.
David Yorke, My Hiding Place, oil, 14 x 11 in.
“A Stillness in the Air is intended to evoke some sense of mystery, beyond what is visible to us,” Yorke says about another of his paintings in the show. “The time is dusk, and there seems a silent presence that has drawn this man’s attention. The Native American life was having a keen sense of his surroundings, and a constant awareness of its visions and sounds that often went beyond consciousness.”
Marris has been studying wild canids since college, where she got a degree in animal behavior. “I love painting wolves and try to engage the viewer into their world,” says Marris. Her show piece Companionsis a study for a much larger painting highlighting the wolf pack bond. “Their constant demonstration of love and loyalty is something amazing to watch,” she says. “The pack is completely devoted to strength and harmony, and the oldest members are fed and nurtured by the rest of the pack their entire lives.”
Bonnie Marris, Companions, oil, 11 x 14 in.
Last year, Seerey-Lester went to Alaska to photograph bears to use as reference. One painting that came out of the shoot is Snack Food. “We were very remote and had to take a float plane every morning to the different areas,” she says. “While visiting Brooks Falls I saw this massive bear fishing for salmon. I thought this would be a different point of view for clients to see all the fish surrounding the bear while he was looking for a snack.” Another work from that trip was Nap Time, with a sleeping owl in a barn.
Suzie Seerey-Lester, Nap Time, acrylic, 16 x 20 in.
“Our Fall Harvest show is a bountiful feast of artwork, filled with contemporary and traditional Western and wildlife pieces,” says gallery co-owner Betty Brown. “We’re thrilled to be celebrating our 42nd year in business, and we are so thankful to our wonderful collectors, friends and the talented group of artists we represent!”
The Fall Harvest show opens on October 26 with a reception from 2 to 4 p.m. and runs through November 30. Two additional receptions will be held on November 9 and November 16, also from 2 to 4 p.m. —
The Plainsmen Gallery 2141 Main Street H » Dunedin, FL 34698 » (727) 734-8200 » www.plainsmengallery.com
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