Beyond the Bend
March 12 - April 16, 2022

Painting en plein air is both contemplative and “almost a sport” for Gerry O’Neill, who roams the rural backroads of North Carolina seeking a fresh vision of nature.  He is keenly aware of shifting light and weather, capturing what he can in oil on board on site; later, he refines each work over time, back in the studio.  His intimate works revel in atmosphere—O’Neill seeks to convey a feeling, as well as a place.  He lives in Durham; this is his first show at Craven Allen.

STATEMENT

As a kid my family made regular trips to West Virginia. The three-hour car ride transported us from the suburbs of Maryland through stretches of mountains and small county towns on rural roads. I passed the time mostly looking out the car window at passing countryside. I didn’t know it at the time, but that scenery still informs my explorations into my surrounding landscape. It might be a glimpse of a line of trees, or the way light hits the side of a shed that compels me to engage with that place in paint.

Painting on location is almost a sport.  It requires a meditative focus, capturing the essence of a place before the light shifts or fades. Refinements are left for later in the studio.

In the field, I often experience a profound sense of wonder. I hope the viewer can share in that same experience.