Past, Present and Curtis (Sneary) @ Donna Gordon Gallery/Studio

Donna Gordon Gallery and Studio, located at 625 Central Avenue in St Pete, is currently specializing in contemporary realist artists. The current show is Past, Present, and Curtis. The Curtis is artist Curtis Sneary. He's worked for 23 years in advertising, corporate graphics, newspaper design, and most important to this review, as a fine artist, in a style that has been described as "painterly realism". In his artists' statement he says he likes "...to explore conflicts between humanity vs mechanization and isolation, and how we Americans commodify ourselves, others and nature."

Curtis Sneary, "Hula Hoop"

On the right is "Hula Hoop", a smiling woman from a  viewpoint that makes her look like a little girl, wearing boy shorts, visor, sandals and a bikini top (after a recent conversation with Mindy Solomon, I'm paying more attention to clothing), arms extended, keeps a golden-yellow hula hoop spiritedly going by poolside. This embodiment of vitality and playfulness is Sneary's wife.

On the left is "Sign Off", something we all have experienced at one time or another, though thanks to 24 hr programming and infomercials it's become almost nostalgic, and I think Sneary is alluding to this. On the right is "Gumby Texting", where Gumby, recontextualized into the present, fails to pay attention while riding his horse (Pokey?) and gets into an accident while texting. Again, the light-hearted but incisive sense of humor is at play here.

Donna Gordon, "Her fondest Memories"

I ran into this Donna Gordon bronze sculpture at the show, one of my favorites, "Her Fondest Memories".  The view on the right shows how the figure's inner being is metaphorically composed of her fondest memories. One can look close and see a child, and many other different things.

Curtis Sneary, "Playboy 2"

Here again we find the artist's attractive wife, scantily clad only in her panties, her tanned body practically aglow on the sheets, in bed, in a sensuous pose....geeking away on the computer!

On the left is "Playboy 1", where the subject is talking on the phone.






On the right is "Night Tennis", a wonderful realistic rendition of people playing tennis at dusk. It sounds simple, and to a degree it is, but this is very good, the colors and sense of space in particular.

On the left is "Blue Boat" one of several paintings in the show of local scenes.

By chance, while visiting the gallery, we ran into artist Rick Reeves, who will be featured as the DGGS next show.  Here he is, holding one of his unbelievably realistic and detailed works, this one of a scene from the Civil War.




Congratulations to Donna Gordon and Curtis Sneary for a fine show.

Runs through July 28th at 625 Central Ave. [Link]