Lawrence Kelsey: New York in Bloom

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Lawrence Kelsey “New York in Bloom” April 11 – May 24, 2008.

Madelyn Jordon Fine Art is pleased to present a third solo exhibition of new works by New York painter Lawrence Kelsey entitled Lawrence Kelsey: “New York in Bloom” from April 11 – May 24, 2008. An opening reception will be held Fri, April 11th, 2008 from 6-8PM. The artist will be present and the public is invited. Previews and private showings are by appointment only.

The exhibition of oil paintings and works on paper unveils a new series of works by the artist, whose enduring fascination with New York City’s changing landscape provides source material for fresh interpretations of the city in early spring. The paintings transport us to a brief moment in time when, after a long, gray winter nature erupts in delightful springtime activity. Iconic landmarks, including Gramercy Park, Central Park, and the Chrysler Building compete for attention with natural wonders: fruit trees laden with pink and white blooms, stands of daffodils, fragrant grasses and birds in flight. The paintings are built with a palette of riotous, high key colors – powder pinks, acid greens, robins’ egg blues, sunny yellows and bright whites, translating the city into an urban fantasy world. Drama is created, as in all of Kelsey’s paintings, through the play of light and shadow against the elements of nature, grass, trees and water. These idyllic, refined environments, grounded in direct observations of daily life, transcend reality through the artist’s imagination. They contrast directly with his earlier street and skyline works where the scene is dominated by buildings of steel, brick, concrete, steam and smoke.

Kelsey’s long term love affair with New York City, especially the island of Manhattan, has been the subject of his artistic oeuvre for over twenty years. Kelsey’s classical oils richly convey the emotion and poetry of the city without becoming mired in its specific details. His signature style, a meeting of the abstract with the representational, the spiritual with the mundane reveals the poetry, and rhythm of life in the big city, reflected in its parks, rooftops and streets.

Born in Ohio, Kelsey moved to New York with his family at the age of three, and was raised in New Rochelle. He attended The Art Students League in Manhattan, studying with Vaclav Vytlacil and Beverly Hale. His work is included in numerous private and public collections, including The New York Historical Society, Merrill Lynch, Pfizer, BlackRock and Structure Tone.

Tuesday - Saturday, 10:30 - 5:30