Upcoming show featuring my figurative work!

Hi Everyone! :)

As Twain said, “The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” After 10 sometimes arduous weeks of not painting or writing, I’m back, having completed a NY trip and a (seemingly endless) house addition (more on that in a later post). I wanted to share an upcoming 3-artist figurative show I’ll be a part of at the Doyle Street Gallery in Emeryville (details at bottom of post). With over 20 paintings of my own included, it’s a true pleasure to be able to share a broad enough selection of work to really express my current approach to painting the body.

Bodies, regardless of sex and regardless of age, are beautiful and sensuous things. The joy in painting them is seeing the tension and weight of the human form we all inhabit, and marrying its movement to water, pigment, and gravity. I generally like diving in and capturing short, dynamic poses. As such, all the paintings are completed in 5-20 minutes, depending on the length of the pose, and are “records of attentiveness”. No preliminary drawing, just wet into wet work and a laser-like focus. You have to damn it all and commit. I like that! But it also means I burn through a lot of paper though, so the 20+ paintings that are in the show are what I’ve culled from 200+ poses.

Affordably priced pieces range in size from quite small (11” x 7.5”) to relatively large multi-figure works (22” x 15”). The models are both male and female, and the paintings both multi-colored and in sepia tones. If you’re farther afield, and are interested in purchasing a work, please let me know. Many pieces shared on my Instagram account (stephenadamberry) will be part of the show. I’ll be there for the reception on Saturday August 3rd from 400-700, and hope some of you can make it! The gallery will be accessible each weekend of August from 12-4, and by appointment.