At 34, Colt Idol has already made a name for himself as a painter of Western scenes defined by a bold use of color that makes his pieces appear to glow from within.
On October 3 and 4, the public is invited to watch how he achieves his signature vibrancy in A Weekend with Colt Idol at Legacy Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. During the show, the artist will work on paintings in front of an audience from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
Idol will also have paintings on display, including landscapes, teepee imagery, wildlife, narrative-driven pieces and more contemporary works that emphasize the use of paint. Color, an element he continues to push, is central in all of them.
Evening Array, oil, 11 x 14 in.
“I stumbled into certain color ways that have proved to be identifying features of my work,” says Idol, who has been painting professionally for little more than a decade. “I wasn’t going into it with that in mind; it was a lot of targeted exploration and experimentation…then I realized I can stretch and exaggerate and intensify the colors and light I’m seeing, and still maintain a sense of realism.
“It might sound cheesy, but I’m painting more from feeling than reality,” he continues. “When you experience a strong sunset and you want to pull out your phone and capture it, it doesn’t do it any favors…I’m trying to paint based off what you’re experiencing and seeing in that moment, not copy it. Just that subtle change in your thought process and you start painting from your gut. For me that’s to keep pushing it so long as it’s still believable. It’s a real liberating way to paint.”
Autumn Mirror, oil, 30 x 40 in.
Fall is the Montana native’s favorite season, and he does justice to its fleeting magnificence in Autumn Mirror. Riders on horseback cross a river amid the technicolor radiance of the landscape in the late-afternoon light. As in many of his paintings, Idol plays with the juxtaposition of stillness and movement. The water’s surface is calm enough to catch the reflection in all its glory while the riders bring a dynamic, narrative element to the scene.
Evening Abound, oil, 48 x 36 in.
Art, like the natural world, is a source of nourishment for Idol and, like the appeal of the Old West itself, at essence universal. “For my more historical pieces, I like imagining scenes we usually see in a vintage light, or in black and white, in full color. It’s an older scene but feels like we’re experiencing it in the present…I want there to be a positive energy within the piece, with a natural element to portray nature in its most lively setting,” Idol continues. “I find that art is something invaluable to the soul—its own form of nourishment. Hopefully you can feel that in the work.”
Glow in the Valley, oil, 40 x 72 in.
Whether you’re a longtime collector or discovering Idol's work for the first time, the event at Legacy Gallery is a unique opportunity to meet the artist, watch him in action and experience his newest pieces in person. —
Legacy Gallery 225 Canyon Road » Santa Fe, NM 87501 » (505) 986-9833 » www.legacygallery.com
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