“The unique blend of Realism and the formal discipline of Color Field painting sets the work of Wolf Kahn apart. Kahn is an artist who embodies the synthesis of his modern abstract training with Hans Hofmann, with the palette of Matisse, Rothko’s sweeping bands of color, and the atmospheric qualities of American Impressionism.” – Wolf Kahn Bio
“With each painting, you have to set up a situation in which you can be surprised. You have to have the opportunity to be spontaneous.”- Wolf Kahn
Jackson Hole’s Fall Arts Festival is upon us, and many galleries are warming up, previewing their big shows. In the case of Jackson’s Tayloe Piggott Gallery, in partnership with Camille Obering, the big draw is a show of Wolf Kahn paintings and pastels. Refractions of Light is on exhibit at that gallery now through October 24; an opening takes place September 10, 5-8 pm, during Palates & Palettes.
It always seemed just a matter of time before Wolf Kahn showed up at Tayloe’s.
Potent combination, balancing Matisse, Rothko and American Impressionism. It’s as if Wolf Kahn single handedly created a new painting genre. Oh, wait, I think he did! Can we call him a synthesist? His
most influential teacher, Abstract Expressionist Hans Hofmann, certainly was. Wolf Kahn’s style, arguably one of the most recognized in American art, has itself influenced a generation of expressionistic, fauvist-style painters. He is certainly one of the most influential contemporary landscape painters. His work is at once tranquil and effervescence. His color palette is largely pastel, as if Nature blushed while posing for Kahn.
Though he studied art in New York, he’s a 1950’s urban art student who went country. During the 50’s Kahn became influential in that era’s explorative, hyper-creative art movements. Born in 1927, he continues to divide his time between New York and Vermont.
My desk calendar is a Wolf Kahn. Even on mass produced calendar stock, Kahn’s saturated hues obliterate all the other colors in immediate view. For more information, visit www.tayloepiggottgallery.com or phone 307.733.0555.
Item #2 
Check out Jackson’s Legacy Gallery One Man Show for Texas artist Gary Lynn Roberts, opening August 26th, with an artist’s opening reception 6-8:00 pm. at the gallery.
This new exhibition features at least 15 new paintings by this popular genre artist. Heck. Months ago I received an email from a Western art fan living in Idaho. She asked me if I knew the name of a landscape artist from Texas, whose work was shown in Jackson. The paintings they’d seen by that artist moved them. That was the only information they had, and I was at a loss. Fingers crossed they see this post and that Roberts is their man!
Roberts paints scenes recalling Western life dating from the 1800’s. A classic landscape realist, Roberts learned to paint at an early age. His father, Joe Rader Roberts, was also an artist. Formative influences on Roberts’ work were artists G. Harvey and A.D. Greer. Daily participation in ranch life gave Roberts the experience he needed to “portray the natural characteristics of horses and the ranch lifestyle….during the Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell era, when cowboys and Indians were prevalent.”
The works at this exhibit will be originals, but Roberts has a selection of giclées on canvas. Many of his new works can be seen on the artist’s website, linked above. For more information, phone Legacy Gallery at 307.733.2353.
Though this information reached the Jackson Hole Art Blog a little late to post in time for this exhibit’s August 19 opening reception, I wanted to call your attention to Interpreting the GYE, on exhibit through August 31 at Galleries West Fine Art. The exhibition combines paintings, sculptures and (quite possibly) pastel.
The concept that we are all here because of the Power of Place seems to be “locking in” for Jackson’s arts community. Of course, the GYE–Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem–has been examined, observed, interpreted and adored by artists since the 1860’s. Now, our contemporary arts community is accepting—“considering” may be a more appropriate description — that landscape, wildlife and indigenous cultures are cool.
Galleries West features representational work by contemporary artists. It is a friendly, hard working and lovely gallery, filled with work created with full depth of devotion to Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, Jackson. You know these artists. Come see the work.
Galleries West is located on 70 S. Glenwood, in Jackson — across from Trio Restaurant. For information, call the gallery at 307.733.4412.
Tammy Christel 
