Exhibition: Moments of Silence — Paintings by Douglas Newton

CRS (Center for Remembering & Sharing) is pleased to announce “Moments of Silence,” an exhibition of small oil paintings by Douglas Newton.

These paintings invite sustained contemplation. Some are from observed reality. Others are mostly from his imagination. They are all painted over days and weeks of concentration and creativity. While his subjects from life are recognizable, he eschews photo realism in favor of building up a richness of color and sumptuousness of form.

ARTIST STATEMENT:
I paint subjects that have unexpected beauty that I translate into oil paint. I paint from my imagination and also from reality. I also have a series on candies and their wrappers, focusing on their translucency and reflections. In all these paintings, my emphasis is on light, color, texture and atmosphere.

Some of the paintings are simple, direct compositions. Others become almost abstract in their complexity. All, I hope, help us see the unexpected beauty in everything around us.

DOUGLAS NEWTON
http://www.douglasnewtonpaintings.com
e-mail: dnewton456@gmail.com

DOUGLAS NEWTON BIOGRAPHY:

I have been painting seriously for about thirty years and full time for fifteen. Before that, I had a career as an advertising art director.

At first, I worked in a “suburban surrealism” mode, painting the American landscape, houses and gardens, mostly from my imagination. I have also drawn and painted extensively from the figure. At the same time, I began painting still lives, mostly food, toys and household objects. Gradually, the still life painting became my main interest. The series of candy paintings evolved out of my food still lives.

I work directly from nature, instead of using photography as a reference.The paintings are all oil on canvas, gallery wrapped on heavy stretchers. My main focus is capturing the effects of light on form, texture and color. I also try to make the paint itself beautiful, and to feel, not like photo realism, but as rich, sensuous oil painting.