Portraits of Places - Watercolors by Richard Estell

2008-06-06 00:00:00 - 2008-07-18 00:00:00

Cerulean Arts is pleased to present Portraits of Places featuring watercolor paintings by Richard Estell. Begun three years ago, this group of intimate paintings reflects on Estell’s interest in natural environments as they co-exist within the confines of everyday, man-made surroundings.

Visiting his sites at different times of the day and through the seasons, Estell makes several attempts at his subject before creating a painting with which he is satisfied. The woods just off the highway or the river under the bridge – these are the small corners of nature that Estell frequents. As a teen, Estell discovered that Charles Burchfield, who resided within miles of his childhood home in Ohio, painted some of the same locales as he did. Knowing that an important artist had seen the same ordinary places and had made something extraordinary from them continues to inspire Estell to this day.

Richard Estell received an MFA degree from Cornell University and a BFA degree from Cleveland Institute of Art; he has also studied at the Art Institute of Chicago and Skowhegan. He currently teaches at Community College of Philadelphia, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Exhibiting regularly in Philadelphia and New York, Estell and his work is featured in the article “Planning for Spontaneity” by M. Stephen Doherty, editor-in-chief and publisher in the July/August 2008 issue of American Artist.

Portraits of Places is on view from June 6 – July 18, 2008 and is free and open to the public. The opening reception is Friday, June 6 from 5-9pm. The artist will be available for questions about his work at the gallery Sunday, June 22 from 1-4pm with a Gallery Talk at 2pm.

Gallery Hours: Tues-Thurs 10am-6pm, Fri 10am-7pm, Sat & Sun 12-6pm