Fall Fest At The Trippe Gallery Features Watercolors

For the month of October The Trippe Gallery is hanging a special exhibition by 2 of the gallery’s favorite artists—David Csont and Kevin Garber. Both artists have been exhibiting at the gallery since its opening days.

Watercolor has been a passion of  David Csont and is evident in his painting and illustrative style. A perennial favorite many years as a juried artist at Plein Air Easton, David has always performed a demo at the gallery where his enthusiasm for sharing what he knows attracted many to learn and enjoy.  Over 25 years he has developed a colorful painterly approach, rooted in the tradition of English watercolorists like John Sell Cotman and Cyril Farey. Ever cultivating his technique, he can be seen painting traditional plein air watercolors as he travels the world. When asked about his creative approach to watercolor and plein air painting, David said: “As an artist my first response is to draw or paint to communicate my ideas. The act of painting is a process that involves all the sense. I immerse myself completely iostthe subject in order to draw out all of its character and hidden meaning, hong that if I observe it closely enough I may glimpse the true essence of what makes it special.”

Artist Kevin Garber has been drawing and painting birds for 40 years. From large-scale abstracted prints to tiny detailed renderings, Garber has used birds as a muse throughout his entire career.  As both a dreamer and an escapist, the bird suits him well, with its ability to pick up and fly away, disregarding the present for a change of scenery in any moment.

Birds are the ultimate changelings. Here one moment and gone the next, birds move from the past to the future seamlessly. No need for planning or forethought, birds know that their needs will always be met, no matter which wind they choose to ride. Instinctive, decisive and fluid, birds are “in the moment” in a way that humans can only imagine. They’re free. Garber’s bird art is as varied as one would expect. From large scale watercolor monoprints of birds and parts of birds, abstracted and undefined – to these tiny renderings of birds from around the world, Garber practices his drawing skills and mark-making with these simple shapes. These particular birds are representative of those found in an old natural history book that he picked up in an antique store. Filled with engravings and detailed scientific descriptions of birds and beasts from around the world, Garber became entranced, immediately propped the book up and pulled out watercolors to create these small one of a kind paintings. One immediately recognizes Garber’s hand in the detailed legs and feet, and the looser, dreamy backgrounds.These birds are stationary, however. Not one is in flight. It’s the moment, this one moment – that he captures in these watercolors. Who knows where they – or he – will end up next? You can be assured however, that the bird will appear again, and again, in Garber’s work.

Opening reception Friday October 3 from 5-7pm during Fall Fest’s Gallery Walk. The Trippe Gallery is located at 23 N Harrison St in Easton. 410-310-8727