David Sheldon lets the birds out of the book
Asheville artist David Sheldon has always been captivated by the avian world. In his ongoing project, “Field Guide to the Birds of North America,” he reimagines a beloved field guide from his childhood, shifting it from scientific description to a more intuitive, expressive language. “… my aim in each painting is to move beyond the traditional, scientific thought system and bird description, and allow another ‘system’ to take its place,” Sheldon shares in a press statement. “This ‘alternative system’ is based on allowing what I would call my ‘emotional intelligence’ to take over and express the birds in a non-verbal, more directly expressive way, allowing the paint itself to have a say in the process.” The result is a flock of over 200 canvases that blur the line between representation and raw feeling. This sweeping body of work serves as the centerpiece of Whistling Past Eternity, an exhibition opening August 28 at Spiers Gallery at Brevard College. The show marks the first time Western North Carolina audiences will see the full range of Sheldon’s practice, which also includes large figurative abstractions, landscapes, and sculptural works. Sheldon is represented by Mark Bettis Gallery in Asheville. He will exhibit alongside sculptor Mark Connelley.
Whistling Past Eternity: August 28-September 26; Opening Reception: August 28, 5-7pm
Spiers Gallery at Brevard College / 1 Brevard College Dr., Brevard / brevard.edu