BO BARTLETT’S NEWEST PAINTINGS AT MILES MCENERY GALLERY BALANCE THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPHERES.
In 1807 William Wordsworth published a sonnet that could have been written yesterday. The World Is Too Much With Us today as it was then, perhaps even more so with 24-hour news providing information into conflicts around the globe and on our failure to be caring stewards of the world we live in.
The world is too much with us; late and soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;— Little we see in Nature that is ours; We have given our hearts away, a sordid boon! This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon; The winds that will be howling at all hours, And are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers; For this, for everything, we are out of tune; It moves us not. Great God! I’d rather be A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn; So might I, standing on this pleasant lea, Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn; Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea; Or hear old Triton blow his wreathèd horn. Bo Bartlett paints large narrative paintings that relate “to situations in the world right now—environmentally, socially, politically. I’m not taking a stand,” he says. “I’m presenting the problem. One of our jobs is to remain as objective as possible. To at least be aware and not to fall victim to any side or propaganda.”
In the summer, he and his wife, artist Betsy Eby, live on a tiny island 20 or so miles off the Maine coast. Wheaton Island is adjacent to Matinicus Island and forms the eastern part of the larger island’s harbor. Wheaton’s highest elevation above sea level is 26 feet and it comprises about 20 acres of granite ledge and trees.
When the world is too much with him, he takes his dinghy out for a row around the island, to clear his head and to become—as it were—grounded.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
FULL EXPOSURE
Photographer Conor Martin documents the present using photographic methods of the past.
Autumnal Light
The landscapes and nature scenes of painter Jennifer Sowders are irresistibly tactile, filled with varying textures that seem to leap off the canvas.
Art for All
Members of Art Dealers Association of America come together for a philanthropic affair.
Modern Marketplace
Redwood Art Group brings together the San Diego region for another class-act celebration of contemporary artwork.
An Enchanting Evening
Scottsdale Artists’ School knows how to throw an art party.
Timeless Tales
Soft, warm undertones underscore the mood of enchantment that runs through Nom Kinnear King’s paintings.
Next Exit New York
Coming off his series that focused on San Francisco and Los Angeles freeway signs, artist Eric Nash’s sights are now set on New York. Now on view at George Billis Gallery's Manhattan location are seven of Nash's new oil paintings and two drawings that explore the signage of New York City freeways. Although Nash's work is tightly rendered, he doesn’t consider himself a photorealist, but rather someone who utilizes those techniques to express ideas.
Monster Mash
Vampires, witches, ghouls and all things that go bump in the night are the theme of the exhibition Monster Mash, now at Abend Gallery.
Inside/Outside
Those familiar with Geoffrey Johnson's populated by inky figures and trailing shadows that bleed into the wet streets, and architectural elements obscured to varying degrees by the misty atmosphere.
Bold Figures; Bold Color
For Brooklyn based painter J Louis, it’s all about balance, which can mean many different things in a composition, but for Louis, it’s about balancing his female figures among a unique landscape of color.
