Contemporary Realism display continues at ICON Gallery

Three of the top realist painters in Fairfield are showing work at ICON Gallery in Fairfield February through April.

Greg Thatcher is showing his award-winning yew tree. John Preston is sharing his recent work focusing on the agricultural landscape. ICON Director and popular art teacher Bill Teeple is presenting a new series of small realistic landscape paintings.

“I’ve been looking forward to celebrating realistic landscape art,” said show curator Bill Teeple. “It’s a genre of art that is particularly dear to me. This show focuses on the skill and craft of oil painting, watercolor painting and drawing. The showing is proving to be one of our most popular exhibitions.”

Thatcher added, “My yew tree series is based upon yew trees growing in St. Mary’s churchyard in Painswick, Gloustershire, England. The yew trees were planted in the Middle Ages and form the most beautiful yew tree avenues in the world. Many of the trees planted along dirt pathways around the church have grown together to form archways.”

Thatcher said he spends anywhere from 100 to 650 hours on location to establish an image for his drawings.

“These drawings require an immense amount of dedication, focus, and concentration,” he said. “I have a deep relationship with the trees and my goal is to manifest my experience, love and appreciation of these wonderful friends into vital living works of art.”

John Preston grew up on America's coasts but moved to Iowa in 1979 and began painting the landscape in 1984 upon graduating from Maharishi International University with a BFA. He started with its expansive skies and fields but is currently exploring contemporary aspects of agriculture to complete that theme. His Iowa images have been exhibited regionally, nationally and as far away as Cambodia and Nigeria.

His work is included in public and private collections, including Iowa State University, John Deere and the Chicago Federal Reserve.

“My most recent work has been almost exclusively plein air: painted on location in one session, or using location sketches to create a studio work,” said Preston. “I aim to express a particular moment. We live in times where life changes significantly in a day. Consequently, moments become precious.”

Bill Teeple was a natural realistic painter of landscapes as a young man. After going to art school and being exposed to the full range of art activities of the 20th century, he couldn’t help but recapitulate the entire evolution of modern art, which has made him an excellent teacher. In the last few years, he has given himself permission to go back to his roots and do straight realistic painting again. This show is the inaugural exhibition of this work.

ICON Gallery is located at 58. N. Main St. in Fairfield. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday noon to 5 p.m. For more information, contact Bill: iconbillteeple@gmail.com or 641-919-6252.