Artist
Jeffrey Kirby's paintings are bold, stylized recreations of his view of nature.
Whether they be landscape, nude or still life, his rendition is about movement and
seductive, undulating form. The paintings seem to have a sense of being more
than what the subject is about.
"I have been drawing, sculpting and designing since I was a child. It wasn't until my
junior year at St. Mary's College of Maryland that I discovered oil painting. It has
remained my premiere medium, although I sometimes work in acrylic. Oil paint has
a buttery, luminous quality that I don't find in other mediums. The depth of color is
unmatched by any other medium I have tried. When I'm working on an oil painting,
I'm not just creating a vision, but am stimulated by the actual application of paint.
The act of physically applying paint is very important to me", Kirby says.
As his style began to solidify in the early 80"s, Kirby studied briefly at the Corcoran
School of Art in Washington, D.C. with the late Gene Davis, of the Washington
Color School of fame of the '50s. "It was exciting for a while to be among other
serious painters, but it wasn't long before I found that I was pursuing a different
direction than the others, so I chose to break away and follow my own course,
which appears to be reminiscent of the regional movement of the '30s and '40s.
This is merely coincidental, however, as my works are not intended to be political
or social commentaries", he says.
He works on many paintings at once, and has been trying some new directions to
keep fresh. "I don't want to have a formula and crank out paintings that have a
look. I think it's important as an artist to keep pushing the boundaries and trying
new things. For me, this is helpful to stay inspired. I also think a viewer is welcome
to bring to the painting their own interpretation. I don't like to explain a painting.
You feel a connection or you don't. There is no right or wrong interpretation. There
should be an emotional or spiritual reaction to art, whether it be literature, fine art,
theatre, music. Immersing oneself in art is the best way to an understanding."
Kirby is inspired by nature, but then creates his own world. Nature serves as the
source which he then embellishes and hones to his perspective. Enjoy the
paintings through your own experiences. He is passionate about the act of
painting and welcomes viewers into his world.
Selected Exhibits:
2018 Rancho Mirage Artists Studio Tour, Rancho Mirage, CA
2015 Art In Embassies (AIE) 2 paintings on loan to American Embassy in Slovenia
2013 Woodman Shimko Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
2011 Heath Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
2010 Abstractions, Personal Visions, Palm Desert Community Gallery, Palm Desert, CA
2009 Back Room Gallery, Helfen Fine Arts, Beverly Hills, CA
2008 Mondo Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
2007 Helfen Fine Arts, Beverly Hills, CA
2005 Zephyr, Rancho Mirage, CA
2003 William James, Palm Springs, CA
2001 Gallery 516, Reno, NV
2001 Woodman/Shimko Gallery, Provincetown, MA
1999 Renaissance Fine Arts, Bethesda and Baltimore, MD
1999 Hamilton Galleries, Pacific Palisades, CA
1997 Veneble Neslage Galleries, Washington, DC
1996 Chelsea Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
1996 Left Bank Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
1995 Wohlfarth Gallery, Washington, DC
1994 Coda Gallery, Palm Desert, CA
1993 Earth/Sea/Sky, juried show, Foundry Gallery, Washington, DC
1992 Capricorn Galleries, Bethesda, MD
1992 Clinical Studies Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
1991 McClendon Fine Arts, Union Station, Washington, DC
1991 Arts Alive Center, Bethesda, MD
1989 Fitzgerald Fine Arts, Washington, DC
Whether they be landscape, nude or still life, his rendition is about movement and
seductive, undulating form. The paintings seem to have a sense of being more
than what the subject is about.
"I have been drawing, sculpting and designing since I was a child. It wasn't until my
junior year at St. Mary's College of Maryland that I discovered oil painting. It has
remained my premiere medium, although I sometimes work in acrylic. Oil paint has
a buttery, luminous quality that I don't find in other mediums. The depth of color is
unmatched by any other medium I have tried. When I'm working on an oil painting,
I'm not just creating a vision, but am stimulated by the actual application of paint.
The act of physically applying paint is very important to me", Kirby says.
As his style began to solidify in the early 80"s, Kirby studied briefly at the Corcoran
School of Art in Washington, D.C. with the late Gene Davis, of the Washington
Color School of fame of the '50s. "It was exciting for a while to be among other
serious painters, but it wasn't long before I found that I was pursuing a different
direction than the others, so I chose to break away and follow my own course,
which appears to be reminiscent of the regional movement of the '30s and '40s.
This is merely coincidental, however, as my works are not intended to be political
or social commentaries", he says.
He works on many paintings at once, and has been trying some new directions to
keep fresh. "I don't want to have a formula and crank out paintings that have a
look. I think it's important as an artist to keep pushing the boundaries and trying
new things. For me, this is helpful to stay inspired. I also think a viewer is welcome
to bring to the painting their own interpretation. I don't like to explain a painting.
You feel a connection or you don't. There is no right or wrong interpretation. There
should be an emotional or spiritual reaction to art, whether it be literature, fine art,
theatre, music. Immersing oneself in art is the best way to an understanding."
Kirby is inspired by nature, but then creates his own world. Nature serves as the
source which he then embellishes and hones to his perspective. Enjoy the
paintings through your own experiences. He is passionate about the act of
painting and welcomes viewers into his world.
Selected Exhibits:
2018 Rancho Mirage Artists Studio Tour, Rancho Mirage, CA
2015 Art In Embassies (AIE) 2 paintings on loan to American Embassy in Slovenia
2013 Woodman Shimko Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
2011 Heath Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
2010 Abstractions, Personal Visions, Palm Desert Community Gallery, Palm Desert, CA
2009 Back Room Gallery, Helfen Fine Arts, Beverly Hills, CA
2008 Mondo Gallery, Palm Springs, CA
2007 Helfen Fine Arts, Beverly Hills, CA
2005 Zephyr, Rancho Mirage, CA
2003 William James, Palm Springs, CA
2001 Gallery 516, Reno, NV
2001 Woodman/Shimko Gallery, Provincetown, MA
1999 Renaissance Fine Arts, Bethesda and Baltimore, MD
1999 Hamilton Galleries, Pacific Palisades, CA
1997 Veneble Neslage Galleries, Washington, DC
1996 Chelsea Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
1996 Left Bank Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
1995 Wohlfarth Gallery, Washington, DC
1994 Coda Gallery, Palm Desert, CA
1993 Earth/Sea/Sky, juried show, Foundry Gallery, Washington, DC
1992 Capricorn Galleries, Bethesda, MD
1992 Clinical Studies Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
1991 McClendon Fine Arts, Union Station, Washington, DC
1991 Arts Alive Center, Bethesda, MD
1989 Fitzgerald Fine Arts, Washington, DC
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