Think of the color of snow. How about the color of water? Now think about the color of a flower.

 

The first two are easy, snow is white and water is blue, but a flower? There are endless colors that a flower could be. What if I said the same was true for snow and water? Will Kirkpatrick has been exploring the way that snow and water take on the color of their surroundings for as long as he’s been painting. He returns to the shores of Maine frequently to study the spray of water off rocks or the way water blends into sky on a foggy day. The way a ship’s light reflects off the surface of water or the way water turns a different color depending on whether it is a stormy afternoon or a calm morning. The same is true for his winter landscapes when the evening light casts blues and pinks across the sky but also across the surface of the snow. The way a snow plow’s headlights cut through the darkness and illuminate the snow with orange light. 

 

Color is a conceptual thing when we think that “snow is white” or “water is blue.” The reality of color is a nuanced blend of light, reflection, gradation, and perception. Come in and see the color of the world the way a master artist sees it. The Color of… will pair seascapes, winter scenes and colorful still life paintings in a way that emphasizes the colors we might otherwise overlook.