Gregory Botts - June 2018
Gallery 81435
Gallery 81435 in Telluride, Colorado presents The Great Rotation or How to Think About The Earth, an exhibit by Gregory Botts during the month of June 2018. The Art Walk opening reception will take place Thursday, June 7, from 5 – 8 pm.
Every spring, Gregory Botts drives across the country from New York City to Abiquiu, New Mexico. Along the way, he visits natural areas and begins his works as plein air paintings. Each year, a narrative emerges in the paintings. A southern route through Florida, Louisiana, and Texas has heavily influenced the past five years. This particular direction points to an imaginative poetry sought out by Botts. The plein air paintings typically emphasize a concern for endangered environments. These paintings also serve as references in Botts’ studio paintings. In his studio, Botts enlarges imagery remembered from his trips and uses his plein air paintings to guide his ideas and artwork. After a simple narrative is formed, a poetry of symbols arises from the repetition and simplification of forms. In this type of painting, the Earth itself has become a character – playing the ideal part of the hero.
Gregory Botts (born 1952) lives and works in New York City and Abiquiu, New Mexico. He has painted in NYC for more than 40 years. His work has been exhibited at the Cathedral of St John the Divine in NYC, The Stations Project, 2009 and 2015. Painting Along the Road was held at Austin Peay University, Clarksville, Tennessee in 2015. The Southern Route was shown in 2016 at David Richard Gallery where he is represented. His work is held in many museums, including the Denver Art Museum, The San Antonio Museum of Art, and San Diego Museum of Art. Bott’s second book of poetry, The Great Rotation (2018), will accompany this exhibition. Gregory Botts is a National Academician since 1993.
The show runs thru June 2018 at Gallery 81435, located at 230 S Fir Street in Telluride, Colorado. Open daily from 12-6 pm, or by appointment.
