August: Adam Bunting and Carol Lesher

Adam Bunting

Give a brief description of your upcoming show. And what might have inspired it.

Each work in this series is a scene, passage or snippet of Downtown Lancaster. There are nods to familiar areas such as the monuments or storefronts like Stan’s but in general I was looking for areas that stood out to me for their complexity, color, texture, and nostalgic character. If you know the city well you may have walked by many of these places without even realizing it. I spent a lot of time walking the city with my wife (and sometimes our newborn child) on a sort of scavenger hunt for interesting corners, alleyways, rooftops, buildings, and structures. Often a little family trip to market would turn into an impromptu photography session with my i-phone, climbing onto a rooftop or standing at strange angles, catching quick shots of pay phones, dumpsters or electric meters that caught my eye. Sometimes drives to coax our 2 month old daughter into slumber would turn into the same, with my wife dropping me off at certain locations and picking me up once I’d had my fill. Later we’d look at the photos together and discuss which might inspire the best paintings. It truly was a team effort.

How have you expanded existing themes/ideas for which you are best known/or if this body of work is a great deviation from your norm, what inspired this new approach?

This is a deviation from my usual subject matter, animals/wildlife. In an effort to capture the grit and character of the city my process involved more layers and a greater emphasis on texture. These works also involve more development of aerial perspective and visual depth than much of my previous work.

Stylistically and/or technically, what do you hope collectors notice in your new work?

I hope they appreciate the detailed, textured and layered technical approach to each painting. Stylistically, I hope they notice the inventive use of color and abstract underpaintings peaking through selected areas of each composition. I hope these images resonate with viewers unfamiliar with Lancaster city but especially with natives that hold it dear.

Add any additional info that might interest the viewer.

This body of work is personally significant to me. Years from now, I expect I will look back on and recall them as a family effort, conceived during a time of great change in our lives.

Carol Lesher

Give a brief description of your upcoming show. And what might have inspired it.

My work is inspired by the natural world. I am excited by the colors, textures and patterns found in nature. I translate what I see into more spontaneous reactions that form the basic compositions of my work. I am equally excited by the ‘Tree’ and the ‘Sea’. Both are triggers for exploration into value, shape and color.

How have you expanded existing themes/ideas for which you are best known/or if this body of work is a great deviation from your norm, what inspired this new approach?

This body of work is not a deviation from my norm, but an active approach to making my work cohesive regardless of the subject. I want my interpretation of subject matter to be less about the place and more about feeling and emotion.   I strive to create visual energy through the use of shape, value and brushstroke.

Stylistically and/or technically, what do you hope collectors notice in your new work?

I hope collectors notice, stylistically, my personal visual vocabulary. I want them to view my work as authentic and individual.