At first glance, Kermit Oliverยs work might seem to just be paintings of cows and lambs. Take another look. Thereยs a depth to the paintings that makes them much, much more. His latest exhibit, ยBroken Notes,ย features works such as An Arcadian Pan. Itยs a painting of a goat, but the first thing that gets you is the light. Oliver captures the setting sun so well, you want to lift up your hand to shield your eyes. In Red Heifer, a bright, thin turquoise thread dangles from the cow. Sure, itยs just a simple string tying some twigs to the heiferยs body, but it somehow takes the painting to another level. Another work, For the Sake of a Sacred Conversation I Set Aside My Small Book of Hours, shows a man and a skeleton standing face to face. Then you spot the object in question: a small red book sitting on a table at the corner of the painting.
Oliver had a retrospective of his work at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston in 2005. His attention to detail ย big and small ย is likely the reason he is regarded as one of Americaยs top contemporary painters. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Hooks-Epstein Gallery, 2631 Colquitt. For information, call 713-522-0718 or visit www.hooksepsteingalleries.com. Free.
Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Starts: Dec. 6. Continues through Jan. 10, 2008
This article appears in Dec 18-24, 2008.