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This week, we’re highlighting contemporary artists who are enchanted by the evergreens, beguiled by the birds, smitten with the sunlight. These are the naturalists of Diehl Gallery, more specifically those who will be part of our 12th Annual Fête Exhibition, Opening Reception July 1.

To kick things off, here is a quote from John Muir—author, environmental philosopher, and founder of the Sierra Club (an organization focused on the conservation of America’s wilderness areas):

“When we contemplate the whole globe as one great dewdrop, striped and dotted with continents and islands, flying through space with other stars all singing and shining together as one, the whole universe appears as an infinite storm of beauty.”

The seven contemporary artists here featured span an array of styles and mediums, but all have sought inspiration from the “great dewdrop” of nature.

Introducing Diehl Gallery’s naturalists and contemporary masters:

Anastasia Kimmett

Angie Renfro

Marshall Noice

Peter Hoffer

Jeri Eisenberg

David Pirrie

Susan Goldsmith

Anastasia Kimmett - Contemporary Couture, 2D+

Informed by haute couture techniques of fabric manipulation, Anastasia Kimmett has developed a technique that is sequential, intuitive, and multidimensional.

Beginning with paint, Kimmett creates a series of impressionistic and abstract images, then cuts them into small pieces and reassembles the clips into dynamic and rhythmic scenes of nature. At first glance you may be peering through an aspen grove, but step closer and new details emerge. Her works invite you to see the forest through the trees...the nuanced and interconnected blend of elements that breath together in sweet harmony.

Angie Renfro - A Note on Solidarity

There is a wistfulness to the paintings of Angie Renfro; the images trapped in the evident strokes from which they are made, reflecting a sort of loneliness or longing as she delves into the idea that “we all share the experience of being disconnected”.

Scenes of power lines, animals, and branches all reflect her quiet study of what is, as is. And empathy emerges in knowing this place of reflection within ourselves quite well.

Marshall Noice - Dipped in Color

Not only is Marshall Noice inspired by nature, but he is inspired by the nature right outside of our doorstep. Based in Kalispell, Montana, his works are a collection of color infused scenes from the American Northwest.

Like a Crayola box left in the sun, the colors melt into each other, creating rich swaths of varied hues. Noice describes his methodology as being a visceral process...an ongoing practice of quieting the mind and trusting the evolution of the painting.  

“I’m not concerned with making a literal rendition of the scene but rather an accurate record of what I sensed when looking at the landscape...My primary goal is to create a work of art that resonates with the spirit of the place.” -Marshall Noice

Peter Hoffer - Stratified Stories of Nature

Like the rings of a tree, Peter Hoffer’s paintings tell a story within the layers. The initial image is just a starting point for Hoffer, who then enters into a process of “exaggerated surface varnishing” in which he lays down numerous layers of resin varnish.

Each layer has its own anatomy as individual layers are sometimes scratched, painted, cracked, or seared. The paintings are reflective of time and process.

“Like the terrain itself, the surface layers of these works are dynamic, and balance between the various states of season.” -Peter Hoffer

Jeri Eisenberg -  Replicating Movement

Focusing on the expressive nature of photography, Jeri Eisenberg uses non-traditional and alternative photo based techniques to capture the colors and the essence of nature. The images are then printed on long panels of Japanese Kozo paper, infused with encaustic medium, and attached to acrylic bars via magnets, gently hanging inches from the wall behind.

The result: elegant, slightly obscure displays of color and light. And, like the branches, leaves, and flowers depicted, the hung images hold the whisper of movement, responding to soft air currents within the room.

David Pirrie - Majestic Pop

Artist and mountaineer David Pirrie has long held a reverence for the snow capped peaks of the Grand Tetons; he has spent a fair deal of his life exploring their nuanced topographies.

As a painter, he captures the details of nature’s massive extrusions while often removing individual mountains from their surrounding peaks, thereby making them symbolic rather than representational. The distinctive monochromatic dot overlay adds a suggestion of Pop Art.

For fun, think about the works of Andy Warhol or Roy Lichtenstein. Now, replace the pretty face with a detailed image of The Grand Teton. The iconic (and temporal) quality of the image remains. Do you agree?

Susan Goldsmith - A Little Shimmer

A myriad of mediums find their way into the works of naturalist Susan Goldsmith: photography; gold, silver, or copper leaf; wood; resin; oil paint; pastel; and metallic powder among others. With gloved fingers, she builds layers and layers atop the starting image, creating a translucence and depth that’s like looking through a dewdrop. The paintings and objects within are luminous—tinged with the fleck of metal and alluding to the spark of life.

“Each lily pad or dogwood blossom transmits its own lucid energy. The ephemeral becomes the essence of tree, pond, or flower.” -Susan Goldsmith

Are you a naturalist too??

If your garden is your sanctuary and the experience of looking up at the peaks of our hometown reverberates to the depth of your core; or if you are sometimes captivated by the way light dances across a new bud or the movement of leaves in the wind; or if you find a sense of wonder in the complex harmonies present in various ecosystems...then you should probably make your way to our 12th Annual Fête (details below).

You might just be a naturalist yourself.

The 12th Annual Fête at Diehl Gallery

July 1-July 18

Opening Reception July 1, 5-8pm

155 West Broadway

Jackson, WY 83001

A portion of proceeds from Fête sales will benefit American Prairie Reserve whose mission is to create the largest nature reserve in the continental US, www.americanprairie.org.