Troika Gallery in downtown Easton features the gallery’s newest artist, John Davis Held, during its March exhibit, “An Extraordinary Journey,” which runs from March 6 to March 31. The exhibit will feature 16 new pastel paintings, many depicting the luminous skies and dramatic storm systems for which Held is well known.
“The light on the Eastern Shore is absolutely gorgeous,” he says, “The landscapes have vivid colors. There is something wonderful about using pastels to paint skies—they allow me to create skies with uniquely saturated blues. I have always been excited about art,” he adds. “It’s important to capture the spirit that comes out of closely observing a scene. After I finish a painting, I feel like a traveler returning with magical mementos from an extraordinary journey.”
As a young child, Held was exposed by his parents to museums in New York City. As a teenager, he was accepted to the Science Honors Program of Columbia University, but his fascination with art pulled him in other directions. He went on to attend the California Institute of Arts, and received his B.A. degree in Art from Evergreen State College in Washington State.
Held uses archival panels that he prepares himself, as well as Unison pastels, archival, light-fast colors that are handmade in a coach house in England. “Unison puts a lot of thought into color range and how the pastels are made,” Held says, “This approach lends itself to color mixing and creates a beautiful, pure quality that’s hard to replicate in other mediums.” Held recently developed a new substrate that adds a striking depth evident in his new work. “The paintings have a unique quality,” he says, “with beautiful, pure pigments that enliven the canvas.”
Most of Held’s work is produced without using photographic references. “The paintings pretty much take over and go in their own direction—they emerge like a Polaroid,” he says. “I’ve learned to stand back and trust this process because the end result is more beautiful than anything I could imagine. That’s why my paintings remain fresh and interesting— I’m as surprised as anybody by how beautiful they are. It’s intriguing, almost like a dance where I’m adding and removing elements until the completed painting emerges. It’s the reason I’m hooked on art! If you don’t let the wild stuff happen, it’s going to be lifeless.”
Meet John Davis Held in person during an opening reception on March 6 from 5-8pm during Easton’s First Friday Gallery Walk, including an Artist Talk at 7pm. Held will discuss the technique he employs to achieve the ethereal signature works of art that have continuously captivated collectors.
Troika Gallery is located at 9 S. Harrison Street in downtown Easton. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 10am to 5:30pm and Sunday by appointment. Artist portfolios and gallery information are available online at www.troikagallery.com. For more information, email [email protected] or phone at 410.770.9190.
..
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.