Continuing through August 17, 2013
A quick glance at Mark Gould’s effervescent, many-hued paintings contain a radiance which perhaps can best be attributed to a spontaneous, dynamic approach to art-making. Gould lives in Taos, that high desert artist enclave; it’s intriguing, then, that "Arcadian Calm" is so full of radiant forest scenes in dazzling oranges and juicy blues. "Quick Light; Arcadian #941" is drenched in this brilliant color. The composition is dominated centrally by a small grove of willowy trees, topped with fluttering green and golden leaves. This diminutive forest is bordered on either side by sparkling blue earth or water, making the painting feel not only enchanting but also deliberately, harmoniously arranged.
"My Neighbor’s House #957" offers a birds-eye view of a country homestead. Here, Gould uses shades of lavender, blush-pink, and sage to emphasize areas of light, casting a soft glow on a row of trees in the background. The most mesmerizing aspect of this landscape is its trodden ground, however: a shape-shifting field of startling lucidity that looks more like a shimmering sea than terra firma. With their celestial light and unapologetic color, Gould’s compositions contribute a sense of boundless energy to contemporary landscape painting.
