The Grenning Gallery is pleased to present our latest exhibition: Tight Lines; A group exhibition showcasing contemporary paintings executed with precise detail, largely inspired by the lives and lore of fishermen, and the sea. Anchored by our newest (and youngest) artist, 26-year-old Rolf Hellem, who’s upbringing in Norway influenced these major works. Also on view are works by Daniela Astone, Marc Dalessio, Terry Elkins, John Morfis, and Rachel Personett.
This exhibit will hang from Saturday, March 15th, through Sunday, April 20th. Please join us for an Opening Reception on Saturday, March 15th, 5:30-7:00 PM.
Rolf Hellem (b 1998, Norway) grew up on the coast in Norway, in a small town above the Arctic Circle. He has fond memories of taking trips to Lofoten, the group of islands above Norway’s mainland, known for its tranquil natural beauty and historic fishing villages. Hellem would fish with his family, and would come across the local fishermen tending to their daily tasks. Whether it be before the sea outing, as seen in “Anticipation”, where they sit along the dock, patching up holes in their nets, chatting and smoking a pipe, or after the catch, when they pull the boat back onto shore in “The Fishermans Fight”… Hellem offers both quiet contemplation and active labor in his largest figurative compositions. Although originally inspired by his time in Norway, we have no trouble associating them with our local traditions here in Sag Harbor.
Hellem studied in the classical academic tradition for the last 6 years at The Chiaroscuro Atelier in Florence, Italy, which focuses on painting from direct observation, and mastering structures of the human anatomy from any and all angles. Due to this demanding and exacting training, Hellem is now able to paint figures from his imagination. All of the figures portrayed are inspired by the fishermen he would see growing up, but are totally invented in his own mind. Hellem used his brother as a model to render the strained muscles of the many gripping forearms and planted feet in “The Fishermans Fight.” The clothes were found and recorded while shopping in many thrift stores. Now that Hellem has formed this entirely original cast, he is able to tell stories with each character. Of course, great paintings from art history were also on Hellem’s mind when conceiving “The Fisherman’s Fight”, most notably from Ilya Repin’s “Barge Haulers on the Volga”. Hellem is a sharp, precise, and detail-oriented person. Very inspired by 19th century paintings – “I want to find this path that is a mix of 19th century style, with badass brushstrokes – like Repin, from afar it looks refined and upclose its wild brushstrokes.”
Marc Dalessio’s (b. 1972, California) “Volpaia with Trees” is one of the most ambitious landscape paintings we have ever handled, and we are pleased to include it in this show. His ‘tight lines” can be seen in his extraordinary accuracy to the scene – not only in lines and drafting, but also his polished rendering of the atmosphere. Dalessio’s high level of craft combined with his obedience to nature as his guide to color, light, value, and tone allows the viewer to truly enter this scene when standing in front of it. Dalessio is well known for his precision and excellent composition, yet this works stands above even his high standard of work. Rarely have we ever seen any painting of this quality in this scale, at nearly 10 feet wide x over 6 ft tall! Also on view will be a selection of Dalessio’s masterful plein air paintings from around the world, from California, to Long Island, as well as Europe’s many beautiful beaches and coastal ports.
Daniela Astone (b. 1980 | Pisa, Italy) inspired by her dreams, presents surrealistic compositions of figures floating in water. For Dancing Love, Astone brought professional dancers into her studio and let them improvise as she painted them. She decided to paint this particular position the dancers held for only a moment in a larger canvas because she loved the way the dancers' bodies intertwined in not a typical freeze-frame grande jete or lift. She placed the dancers in deep water as part of her surrealistic series of figures floating through ethereal space. Les Deux Moités, or, The Two Halves, continues this theme. A man and a woman, fitting perfectly together with ease, share a tender embrace. Their bodies float above the sea floor and glow against the dark blue background. Although surreal in subject matter, Astone’s figures are executed with precise accuracy in color values as well as anatomical form. Also on view from Astone, are her plein air paintings of local Sag Harbor spots known for prosperous fishing – under the Bridge, or at the still-water’s shore.
Terry Elkins (b. 1951 | Mississippi) was drawn to the East Coast to forge his career as a painter. When Elkins first came to the South Fork of Long Island in the late 1980’s, the culture was slow-paced, humble, and centered around an economy of independent fisherman. Every day, Elkins would witness Baymen set out to sea in their dories, to cast nets offshore and earn a living from their catch. Elkins began drawing on maps soon after he moved into his Sagaponack studio in 1988. Former resident Neil Williams left behind a set of nautical charts covering eastern Long Island, Maine, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod, which became his canvas.
Elkins says: The charts helped orient me to a coastal geography where I was, surrounded by ocean, bays, coves and inlets. I began to use the charts as a background for images that might be seen throughout these locations. This developed into a series of drawings on charts of lighthouses and other nautical imagery, like dories and ships. Composition is an important aspect of combing the two mediums, collage and drawing. For instance, I’m using a chart of Marshall Point for the lighthouse there. The drawing needs to work with the open areas of water juxtaposed with island shapes. The collage is the fun part while the drawings can take days and weeks to develop. It’s important that one doesn’t overpower the other. That balance gives the image a better sense of space within the borders.
John Morfis (b 1976) continues to work hard at tackling the art of trompe l'oeil. One of the interesting things about Morfis, is the unique items he chooses to paint. They range from old tools to crab shells, and more often than not, his chosen subjects are sentimental objects; old fishing paraphenalia from his childhood, or humble clothing from a beloved family member. "Paul's Jacket" is the largest canvas Morfis has delivered to date. A classic red tartan flannel zip up jacket his late Uncle Paul used to wear, hangs on a wooden hanger from a single nail in the wall. All of which is depicted against a grey backdrop, true to Morfis's signature style.
Rachel Personett (b. 1991, Hawaii) having travelled the world for most of her life, as the daughter of a pilot, Personett naturally draws inspiration from landmarks and unique locations from her travels. For instance a lighthouse, or a large rock formation like “Arch Rock” in Oregon, or “St. Michael Mount Nocturne” outside Cornwall England. Each of these sites serve as a beacon to the mainland.
