(STILLWATER, Oklahoma / July 15, 2019) - Modella Gallery is pleased to present Morphing into Nature, a two person show including the late Sam Dee Thomas, and oil painter, April Dawes. The exhibition runs from August 5-31, 2019, with the opening reception 1:30pm on Sun., Aug. 18. Both painters incorporate vivid color into their work and compare and contrast the idea that what we see and do transforms into the existing environment.
Sam Dee Thomas began painting at the age of 12. He used a range of styles throughout his career including the vibrant Biomorphic Abstraction on exhibit at Modella. He earned his master’s from Penn State University and taught art for 42 years. His philosophy came from the idea of “go out, explore the environment and paint what you know.” Artists he found having an effect on his work include Arshile Gorky, Gregory Amenoff and Dale Chihuly.
Working primarily in oil, and occasionally gouache, Dawes find herself continuously returning to the revealing, expressive and narrative qualities of the human face and figure. Her aim is to capture the essence of the human response to the metamorphic beauty and intense emotional struggles that arise with each new season of life. Approached in a painterly and expressive style, her paintings explore these qualities in often foreshortened or exaggerated poses, fluid compositions and the thoughtful assembly of brushstrokes. Her work is heavily influenced by the linear qualities and approaches of Paul Cezanne and Egon Schiele, and by the composition and painting techniques of artist such as John Singer Sargent and Malcomb Liepke.
Modella Gallery is a non-profit art gallery dedicated to bringing contemporary arts to Stillwater, Oklahoma. Modella Gallery is located at 721 South Main Street in historic downtown Stillwater, OK. Hours are Thursday 5-8pm, Friday 5-8pm, Saturday 11-5pm, and Sunday 1-3pm. For further information, please contact the gallery at (405) 880-4434 or visit modellaartgallery.org.
###
