(970) 927-9668
Chicago Art Magazine | Dec 2009 | By Claire Lynch
Rick Stevens is the best reason to go gallery hopping in Chicago this month. It is often difficult to find something worth your while, a piece of art that is good, belongs in a museum, but really, you just want in your bedroom. Invoking the Unknown at KH Gallery houses Stevens’ newest painting series. Viewing the works is a satisfying experience. The large canvases are bright and colorful, but never cheesy and suggest dream states or travel to far-off, lush landscapes. Stevens hails from rural Michigan, giving his art a frame of reference before amazing the viewer- perhaps I didn’t look around well enough last time I was in the Great Lake State.
“Structures of Wilderness II” first caught my eye. Stevens’ exceptional use of color presents a recognizable nature scene, perhaps a flowery meadow, with thick slabs of shiny paint. This work is also large, has depth, and truly is meaningful to look at. The success of the series continues with “Garden Entrance,” a work which mimics Stevens’ preferred composition: painterly, wistful. However, the simple difference in color palette along with the title makes this work stand out as a highlight of the exhibition.
The obvious grand finale of the show is “Tripping Across the World.” Largest in scale and most intricate in detail, this painting is the first you see, or the last, depending on which way you circle through KH Gallery. You can look at it twice, which I recommend, because it is so special. Rick Stevens’ work merges worlds, fantasies, time periods; the power of his art lies in its ability to attract. The beauty he shows us is great, and unlike many romantic landscape scenes, these paintings are soulful. Everyone should see them.
