UPCOMING Exhibition AT THE GALLERY AT STILL RIVER EDITIONS
unclaimed land
sumi paintings by Bob Keating
january 11-march 28, 2025
Opening reception saturday january 11, 2 pm - 4 pm
(snow date january 18)
Free and open to the public
Village (2022) © Bob Keating
Unclaimed Land is an exhibition of sumi paintings by Bob Keating of Southbury, Connecticut. Bob is a sculptor and painter whose work evokes personal placemaking and spaces accessible only by the imagination. Keating’s original paintings will be on view in the gallery, and archival, limited edition prints will be available for purchase, printed by Still River Editions. The prints reproduce all of the subtle tones and implied textures of the paintings.
ARTIST STATEMENT
When I sit down to make these sumi paintings I’m slowly going somewhere. Eventually arriving somewhere other than where I’m sitting. I don’t have any formal training in Japanese sumi technique; I just kind of wing it and hope for the best.
The title of the show, Unclaimed Land describes for me the places we can go to in our imagination. Unclaimed by values normally associated with ownership and the complexities entailed. These places are as real as any on the planet. I’m in essence presenting to you all the places I’ve been. I hope you enjoy the journey.
The paper is 100% acid free. Some of the tools are made from reeds and grasses from our garden. Many sizes of brushes, rags, and pre mixed tones of sumi in small dishes are used all the time.
The prints are made right here at Still River Editions on 100% acid free paper. They are scanned and printed in color as to bring out all the tonal variations that sumi offers. They are printed in a limited edition of 12. I think of the original sumi paintings in the way a photographer thinks of their negatives.
about the artist
Bob Keating makes sculpture and sumi paintings. The origin of his sculpture often comes from these sumi paintings. For him, making the paintings allows for a thorough exploration of a subject. He finds resolve and determination with this exploratory medium that may or may not lead to making a sculpture.
For Bob, the paintings are places he has gone and things he’s seen. All these are imaginary and for him they become real. This leads to why the show is called Unclaimed Land. For Bob these prints of sumi paintings are also ambassadors to his world of sculpture. The title of this show Unclaimed land, is the land of our imagination where Bob believes we can come and go without trespassing or asking permission. It is here he finds a place to work and live.
Speaking of places, Bob was in Venice, Italy this September and showed two of his sumi prints on fabric at the Palazzo Pisani Revedin under the auspices of City Lights Gallery (from Bridgeport CT). This was a satellite fair in conjunction with The Venice Biennale.
ABOUT THE GALLERY AT STILL RIVER EDITIONS
The Gallery at Still River Editions has hosted national and regional photographers and artists since 1989. In spring 2011, after a brief hiatus from exhibiting new work, the gallery returned to hosting up to four exhibitions a year. The Gallery's mission is to show traditional and digital prints of photographs and fine artwork, and to be a center of creativity and connection in the Danbury area.
The Gallery at Still River Editions is open during normal business hours 8:30 am - 5 pm Monday through Friday, and during posted hours for special events. The Gallery does not accept unsolicited submissions at this time.
