Robert Lange Studios’ upcoming fine art exhibit, “Ephemeral,” features the work of the contemporary realist landscape artist Brett Scheifflee. “Ephemeral” is a series of oil paintings that capture fleeting moments in time, specifically focusing on the natural world.
“The show title that I have been working with and I think suits the work is ‘Ephemeral,’ as the paintings are focused on moments in the outdoors that are short-lived,” says Scheifflee. “When thinking back to what initially inspired me to become a landscape painter, I would have to say it was these temporary, but astounding, moments that made me want to go to work in an attempt to preserve them. Ultimately, I can’t help but feel grateful to live on a planet with billowing clouds at dusk, fragile moments where it seems the season is about to change, the slow rise of the full moon, or the lovely colors that bring us in and out of every day.”
Sheifflee has perfectly stopped time in each painting and chosen just the right moment to share with the viewer. One of the pieces for the show, “Pink Giants,” is a painting of dreamy pink skies filled with clouds; the horizon line fades off into the distance as the moon sits above the waves. The 24-by-30-inch oil on panel piece creates a perfect escape for the viewer. Brett says of the piece, “The painting ‘Pink Giants’ is a depiction of one of those evenings along the southern coast where the storm clouds have broken and are departing, but the sun has shone through again to illuminate the beautifully chaotic break up which hangs suspended under a full moon. It’s in these magical instances where I think everyone lucky enough to witness them becomes reverent and the stress of daily life also floats out to sea and you too feel suspended in the moment.”
This exhibit is a celebration of the peace and mindfulness that exists in the natural world and the artist’s deep appreciation and understanding of nature. Scheifflee says, “Growing up in the rural countryside of western New York, I’ve always felt connected to the land and especially to the passing seasons. Planting vegetables in late spring, splitting and stacking firewood in early autumn, and enduring winter/enjoying summer. It’s a cool place and often cloudy, the land feels more like an acquaintance with the sunshine, not a close relative, and when it breaks through on a grey day to dazzle for a moment or two, it is not taken for granted. Birds, wildlife, trees, plants, and people, these brief moments are enjoyed for every second that they last. With this background, I guess I never had much choice in what to paint. I’ve painted what I know and what I love, the land.”
Additional Landscape Oil Paintings:
Sheifflee has shown work in both New York and Colorado before joining Robert Lange Studios in 2015. He studied painting at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he received a BFA.
The exhibition will hang from November 2–30, 2018, at Robert Lange Studios (Charleston, SC).
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