Monte Shelton, a visionary painter from Portland , Oregon will exhibit a
group of oil paintings in Jeffrtey Moose Gallery, 1333 5th Ave, Seattle from
May 11th through June 25th. A reception for the artist will be held on
Thursday, May 13th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. The artist is also exhibiting four
large oils in the Mezzanine of Rainier Tower Lobby, just off Fifth Avenue
and University Street in Downtown Seattle through May. The show is part of
a curatorial program by Jeffrey Moose Gallery.
"Energy Fields" dominate this group of images: pools of liquid light form
concentric rings which dominate the whole picture-plane in glowing colors
and seem to shimmer and/or make sounds. Thelargest of these works are
featured in the Rainier Square Mezzanine. Ms. Shelton?s recent body of work
mixes a deep spiritual connection to the earth with a desire to poetically
depict the patterns of light and power in our world. She uses flatly
painted, short stroked grounds in which to set her iconic natural
phenomenae, demonstrating a strong command of materials as well as a
hypersensitivity to her subject.
Other paintings are more figurative, though adress similar concerns. A
group of works which feature forest scenes electrified by waves of energy
speak of unseen magic in the natural world. Some of the works have a
political agenda, such as "Energy Stump" (? 2002, 40"x30") which depicts a
huge old growth stump surrounded by glowing, swirling particles of light in
hot, orange and pink colors. The frank depiction of the pulsating stump
reminds os of what once was and of the urgency to preserve what still
exists.
The artist has an unusual art-education history in that her background was
influenced by rural-based Northwest figurative artists Gaylen Hansen and
Robert Helm, instructors at Washington State University, where she received
her MFA in 1979.
Monte Shelton
"Energy Stump"
2002
Oil on canvas
30"x40"
Monte Shelton
"Mythology of a Forest Vortex"
2004
Oil on canvas
50"x60"
Monte Shelton
"Reflecting Pool"
oil on canvas
48"x144", triptych
1999
Monte Shelton
"Tree Light"
oil on canvas
30"x40"
2002
Monte Shelton
"Logs Passing (Two Logs)"
oil on canvas
30"x36"
2000
Monte Shelton
"Large Spiral"
oil on canvas
60.5" x 57"
Monte Shelton
""Energy Source"
oil on canvas
57.5 x 60"
Monte Shelton
"Energy Pool # 4"
oil on canvas
48" x 60.5"
Monte Shelton
"Energy Pool / Water"
oil on canvas
60" x 57.5"
