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| Painters in Paradise - Mike Smith and Pat Tolle |
| Mike Smith and Pat Tolle - New Works |
| Mike Smith |
| May 7, 2008
- June 8, 2008 |
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The Gunnar Nordstrom Gallery is pleased to offer new works by northwest artists, Mike Smith and Pat Tolle.
Mike Smith was born in 1942 in Portland, Oregon, and spent his childhood growing up in Vancouver, Washington, and the Puget Sound area. He now resides in S.W. Washington near the shores of the Columbia River.
Smith has tried to abandon any "school" of painting and uses an autobiographical approach. His subjects are mostly found in his backyard or around the neighborhood in which he lives. His dogs, the cat, his rowboat, and ducks in his pond, are all included in the bright watercolors of his paintings. He also sculpts in bronze, paints in oils and does silk screen prints.
Smith says, "People always want to know the meaning of my work and where I get my ideas from. My work is simply about the people and places and animals I love. Images, unlike the written word, do not dictate to you. After twenty-five years of painting almost every day, it has become my world." It is fun-filled, colorful, and full of life.
Over the years, Smith has had more than 70 one-man shows.
New work this year by Smith revolves around the garden and his love of flowers, horses galloping and a recent vacation to Hawaii that will pair his paintings nicely with Tolle's tropical adventures.
Tolle has been a regular gallery participant since her first show with us in 1993. These new works represent the direction her art has taken since the Aerial views of Washington's landscape. The new works are landscapes and seascapes that are luscious and rich in color from various vacation destinations, especially Hawaii.
Tolle not only has a passion for painting, but also a wanderlust and fascination for travel and she is fortunate enough to act upon her passions. These new paintings will allow us to travel visually with her to some wonderful tropical vacation locations.
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