The current exhibition in Reedy Gallery, Viewpoint, showcases two distinct artists, Brian Jensen and Mary S. Meuwissen. Jensen’s work is instantly recognizable, with a style influenced by many, but uniquely his own. In contrast, Meuwissen’s work wavers between ambiguous and definite, with astounding colors built up by cold wax, and flowers painted adoringly.
A former illustrator for magazines, book publishers and advertising agencies, Jensen developed his unique style from the inspiration of many different artists and illustrators he’s encountered during his work. “When I shifted from illustration to painting, the only thing that changed was my subject matter. When I paint, I choose what I want to paint.” Jensen sees the “geometry and design that exists in our everyday world,” especially in the beloved, quintessential Midwestern landscapes he depicts with his distinct style.
In methodically developing a painting — the discipline of which he learned as an illustrator — Jensen first creates a series of thumbnail sketches, usually from memory, that capture both the landscape and the feelings that accompany the scene. Choosing from these thumbnail sketches, the next step is adding colored pencils: “The color sketch is all about color and how each color relates to the other. The colors are not about copying the reality of what we see, but about how I feel and how the colors work together.” Viewers will notice the bright colors in Jensen’s paintings: sometimes the sky is not blue, and the trees appear red, pink or purple.
A thumbnail sketch of the painting “Round About,” courtesy of Brian Jensen.
A color study in colored pencil of “Round About,” courtesy of Brian Jensen. See the painting developed from this color study in the Reedy Gallery.
Details of specific car models, such as the 1958 Turnpike Cruiser pulling a Shasta Deluxe camper in one painting and a boat in another, immediately bring about recognition and encourage a sense of Midwestern nostalgia. The glint of the hubcap and the zig-zag paint job evoke specific memories of summer camping trips when the kids are out of school and the fish are swimming in the waters that surround us in the Star of the North.
“Camping!” and “Boating!” by Brian Jensen
Jensen finishes his process by transferring his chosen sketch to a primed panel: “At this point there are few surprises, [and] the process is about refining the colors and having fun painting!” The “fun” Jensen enjoys while painting is evident.
Mary Meuwissen’s work is equally vibrant, and her primary mediums are oil and cold wax. “Cold wax is a medium made from beeswax, solvent and resin that is mixed directly with oil paint and applied in thin layers.” Mary describes how flexible it is, and likes how she is able to “build up surfaces, scrape them back, obscure passages and rediscover what’s underneath.” Cold wax as a medium was introduced to her during a birthday trip to Ghost Ranch in New Mexico, where she camped in nature and learned about the medium. Before the trip, she hadn’t picked up a paintbrush in 30 years, focusing artistically on mosaic and stained glass. After working with oil and cold wax in New Mexico, “I was completely hooked,” she said.
“Harrison Sculpture Garden” (top) and “In Just: Spring” (bottom) by Mary S. Meuwissen. Viewers can see the “rediscovery” of scraped layers of green and yellow wax in the abstract piece named after an E. E. Cummings poem.
Her approach differs from Jensen’s with a certain organic looseness. She said, “When I begin a painting, I rarely start with a fixed plan. I respond to lines, shapes, marks and color as they emerge, allowing the work to grow through observation and intuition. That sense of curiosity and discovery remains central to my process.” An art educator of 20 years, Meuwissen’s art practice is “deeply inspired by the uninhibited and exploratory nature of children’s art-making.” The playful angles and bright colors inspire continual awe for flowers we only thought we recognized.
“Flower: Another Look” by Mary Meuwissen
There are a variety of abstract works by Meuwissen hanging in this show as well: greens and pinks spring forth from the canvas like the currently blooming peonies. “Even in abstraction, nature finds its way into the work through palette, movement, texture and rhythm. I think these references resonate because they are familiar to all of us. Nature surrounds us constantly; sometimes the work is simply an invitation to slow down and truly see it,” said Meuwissen. Her abstract work is also place-based, and the place is nature. Sometimes that place is here, too! Several paintings depict the Harrison Sculpture Garden and the Red Barn at the Farm at the Arb.
“Instant Joy” by Mary S. Meuwissen. The movement of the piece is inspired by nature.
Take a stroll through the Reedy Gallery to witness the beauty of the nature that does surround us, through the perspective of two distinct artistic styles. While their methods vary, the completed works speak to us just the same, exciting us with color, form and style. In the words of one of Jensen’s titles, “we like it here.”
Visitors can see Viewpoint in the Reedy Gallery through July 20.
The Arboretum is home to three indoor gallery spaces featuring rotating exhibitions of nature-based art plus numerous works of art and sculpture found across the grounds and in the Harrison Sculpture Garden, home of the Dakota Sacred Hoop Walk. Learn more about Art at the Arboretum and explore upcoming exhibitions.
Cover image “Round About” by artist Brian Jensen