My wish is to stay always like this, living quietly in a corner of nature.

(Claude Monet)

Three painters with very different responses to nature feature in the first exhibition of 2018 at Thomas Deans Fine Art. Atlanta artist David Kidd creates subtle, at times almost monochrome, images inspired by the movement of shadows of leaves on walls or stones in pools. New York artist Stephen Pentak “constructs” evocative landscapes from stylized forms--traditional subjects in contemporary guise in subtly balanced palettes. And Massachusetts painter Donald Beal explores the forests near his Provincetown home in rich, saturated color and a spontaneous touch.

Donald Beal’s use of color is instantly recognizable, but it is only one part of his artistic personality. As one critic has written, “Beal’s work breaks new ground in a gentle but inviting manner; his use of color and light are only devices designed to highlight his unique sense of observation.” Beal grew up in Massachusetts and has been a professor at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth for nearly twenty years.

David Kidd continues his series of paintings based on abstracted nature forms. He has said of his work, “My paintings are process driven. The physical act of applying paint has a strong influence on the direction…my goal is not to allow the preconceived idea to limit or restrain the creative process.

Critic Richard Roth has described Stephen Pentak’s work as revealing “a poetic sensibility coupled with an authoritative restraint…. While these paintings may appear effortless, they are in fact, the result of arduous investigation and passionate commitment.”