A solo exhibition by member artist Jeffrey Starkes
May 8 through June 9, 2018
Reception on Sunday, June 20 from 2:30 to 5:00pm
Complimentary wine, soft drinks and hors d'ovres. Artist's talk at 4:00pm.

Jeffrey Starkes explores the idea of diverse personality traits in a
series of twenty new abstract paintings. In an effort to move his work
beyond the confines of his own temperament, Mr. Starkes reinterpreted
personalities driven more by impulse and compulsion than his own. The
resulting paintings were defined by broad strokes, brash colors and
unfortunately, a high degree of incompatibility. To make the
collection more companionable, Mr. Starkes conjured up personalities
that would be the visual equivalents of diplomats and referees to
place between the more contentious paintings.

What began as visual interpretations of character traits became a
quest for connectivity. Highly divergent paintings were paired with
canvases meant to complement or contrast. These counterpoint paintings
could balance excess with moderation and steer self-expression towards
sociability. Jeff hopes the viewer will experience an exhibition full
of the dynamic color and contrasts you would imagine where diverse
dispositions are brought together.

Following a long career as an art director and graphic designer,
Jeffrey Starkes is now an emerging abstract artist working primarily
in oils. Since refocusing his talents on the creative possibilities of
abstract painting, his work has gained critical acclaim and is highly
popular with art lovers and collectors. His paintings have been
displayed at galleries and exhibitions throughout Connecticut.
Employing bold, unconventional color palettes, his style is
characterized by dynamic arrangements of torn shapes, hard edges, and
the illusion of a layered spatial depth achieved through his use of
transparency. Born in 1950, Mr. Starkes has a BFA degree from Paier
College of Art and is a member artist at Art/Place gallery in
Fairfield, Connecticut. He lives and works in West Haven, Connecticut.

ABOVE THE FRAY

ALL INCLUDED

ALWAYS COMPOSED

FLUID SITUATION

GRAVITAS

HIGH ANXIETY

HYPERDRIVE

IN THE CORRIDOR

RIGIDLY RANDOM

STRONG OPINIONS