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BRIAN O'LEARY
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in perspective
July 10 - 25, 2021
We are pleased to present the Brian O’Leary exhibition, In Perspective, opening July 10 with a reception from 5 to 8 PM. The exhibition will remain on view through July 25, 2021.
O’Leary’s objective is to create paintings without intent or design, describing the painting process as “waiting for something to happen that I wouldn’t have thought of making.” A dynamic painter, he rotates the canvas throughout the painting process to ensure there is no horizon line, no sense of gravity, no landscape. Narrative elements are blurred out. If there is any narrative, he ensures us, it is not coming from him. Manipulating tar and oil paint, he creates texture, color, and gestural marks to achieve his effects, but always with a destructive element. The paintings read as abstractions, and yet there is subtle figuration. In fact, it is only in the last two years that any figuration has been allowed to encroach at all. The results are richly layered paintings full of energy and expression. |
Brian O'Leary, Peel, tar & oil paint on panel, 44 x 42 inches
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Over the years, O’Leary’s artistic style has shifted dramatically from figurative, religious motifs to apocalyptic landscapes to his current artistic style of geometric abstractions. He also incorporates non-traditional materials like tar and string into his oil paintings adding a sense of depth, texture, and dimensionality. He has been painting and designing professionally since 1982. He is the former student and studio assistant to Roy Lichtenstein as well as the former studio assistant to Julian Schnabel.
O’Leary paints by his own rules. He is an independent artist with a powerful voice, and we are proud to be presenting this strong, cohesive body of work.
O’Leary paints by his own rules. He is an independent artist with a powerful voice, and we are proud to be presenting this strong, cohesive body of work.
