 I have a show in April and I need to produce like crazy. Last week, I traveled to a remote area on the edge of the Blue Ridge mountains to immerse myself in my work for four days. I haven't had the opportunity to do so since my Route 1 trip, having too much on my plate at any given moment. Family, a full time job, teaching (that's a new thing), and an occasional game of SimCity leave me hours here and there to paint, so here was my opportunity to, as some might say in Amherst County, git er done. No better place to do it than Luminhaus, a modern retreat perched on the side of a wooded mountain scape. Seclusion is the theme here, with only a land line and a steep, winding gravel road connecting it to the outer worlds. A long-distance call requires a phone card, which everything is here — long distance. No cable, no internet, and most noticeably, no humans.  I painted steadily, and thanks to Luminhaus' impressive collection of contemporary and abstract art, the views and its walls were inspiring. I'm painting for my new body of work entitled "Populace," a series of new paintings to open at Glave Kocen Gallery on April 6. A friend pointed out that I sought out complete isolation to paint images depicting urbanization. Upon return, I was greeted with a cell signal and a speeding ticket. Damn you, civilization.
Two of the four pieces completed at Luminhaus. Several more are back in the studio and on the easel.  I woke up to a dusting of snow the second day.  The lineup of some paintings I started, and in a few cases, completed at Luminhaus.
2 Comments
Jennifer Wynn Stanley
2/16/2013 04:36:25 am
Wow! I really love your abstract paintings Steve. I have to say that photo you took is also amazing! I laughed out loud when I saw your shopping cart, cheetos, beer, red wine ya know, basically the essentials. ;) Good luck with your upcoming gallery showing. If I can ever convince my husband to find a great job in Richmond, I will be carefully selecting and purchasing one of your wonderful paitings to hang in our new digs!
Noah Ristau
12/11/2019 01:23:57 pm
Hello Steve! I was there for your Populace show at Glave Kocen back in 2013 and am grateful that I get to look at the painting pictured here "Luminhaus No. 1" every day. I have to tell you that, thanks to this post, I fell in love with the idea of someday visiting Luminhaus myself. I'm excited to share that, more than six years later, my family and I finally made it and had the best Thanksgiving ever there - and it was an extra special treat to see two more of your works hanging on its walls! Thanks so much for introducing Luminhaus to us, and for your beautiful art! Leave a Reply. |
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