The Art of Leconte Stewart - Part 2

"Art exists so that we may say the unsayable."  LeConte Stewart

"Country Funeral"

Art is successful to me if it draws me in and lets my mind create a story to go with the piece.  "Country Funeral" allows the viewer to imagine the whole town turning out to honor a member of the community.  It is a quiet painting, and does indeed "say the unsayable."

LeConte Stewart Landscape

I had the opportunity to see the other half of the current LeConte Stewart art exhibit at the Church Museum of History and Art.  It was a great experience to once again view the work of this outstanding Utah artist.  I particularly enjoyed being able to see his brushwork up close, and to once again admire Stewart's mastery of lighting.

Detail of painting

I zoomed in on the above painting to photograph a detail of Stewart's brushwork, and to my surprise, found this to be a satisfying composition within his original piece of art.  Perhaps that is the measure of a master--when a little piece of the painting could stand alone as its own work of art.

This exhibit has two parts:  "LeConte Stewart:  Depression Era Art" at the Utah Museum of Fine Art, and "LeConte Stewart:  The Soul of Rural Utah" at the Church History Museum.  These photographs come from "The Soul of Rural Utah" exhibition.  Unlike its counterpart at the University of Utah, this exhibit focuses more on Stewart's landscapes.  

Warmth captured in a Stewart landscape

Two things stood out for me in this show:  Stewart's mastery of lighting, and his penchant for painting in the same area again.  The lighting was particularly fascinating in the multiple landscapes Stewart did of snow scenes.

Ogden Valley, Winter

Stewart said of painting in winter:  "Winter is lovely to paint because you get lovely color harmony.  You get lovely notes of color, complementary colors of lavenders and oranges and beautiful notes of the sky.  See how different they are, and yet they are closely related.  You've got a beautiful harmony of color relationships--the lavenders in the road.  Every note of color has a relationship.  Just the sequence is tied up in a beautiful harmony.  You feel that way about it."  And when you look at painting after painting that Stewart did of winter scenes, you see the lyrical quality, you see the harmony.  Stewart's paintings are visual music.

Detail of "Kaysville Winter" - note all the colors Stewart painted in the snow.

This particular painting, "Kaysville Winter" was one of my personal favorites in the exhibit.  I loved the warmth in a snow scene and the late afternoon lighting on the side of the buildings.  And I love the colors!

Kaysville Winter

LeConte Stewart painted often in the same areas.  Several of the paintings in this exhibit have titles like "Autumn in Peterson," "Spring in Peterson," and "Winter in Peterson."  By returning to the same locations again and again, Stewart was able to capture the color and light  not only of different seasons, but also of different times of day.

Winter in Peterson

LeConte Stewart completed most of his paintings on location in one session.  This is astounding, especially when you see the size and scope of some of the landscapes in this exhibit.  He obviously had developed an incredible level of skill to capture a scene outdoors even as lights and colors fluctuated with each passing hour.

Autumn in Peterson

LeConte Stewart said:  "Any art which survives must ring true to the hearts of humanity.  It must be of the time and express the tempo of a people."  I think Stewart was a master of capturing scenes that ring true in the "hearts of humanity," whether it be a quiet rural scene, or a Depression-era industrial view. 

"Threshing Wheat"

This exhibit runs through January 15, 2012, so you only have one month left to experience the works of this fine Utah artist.  

Interactive part of the art exhibit.

The exhibit includes interactive screens where you can create your own art masterpiece, or paint on a Stewart painting.  There is also a video presentation about the artist.  This is a great art experience for all ages.  

"Artist's Umbrella" - 1923 - etching print, ink on paper

If you go:  Admission to the Church Museum of History and Art is free.  The hours are Monday through Friday, 9am to 9pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 7pm.  It has shortened hours on some major holidays, and is closed on holidays like Easter Sunday and Christmas. The museum is located at 45 North West Temple in Salt Lake City.  The exhibit continues through January 15, 2012.

The Art of LeConte Stewart

Springtime, Morgan Valley - by LeConte Stewart

So, it is happening again!  I have been to a couple of art exhibits this summer, and that urge to pick up a pencil and sketchpad or paintbrush is starting to build.  That crazy voice in my head is saying "I want to do that," as I look at a wonderful piece of art on display.  Visiting art galleries makes me believe that I could do that too!  The inspiration this time comes from the "LeConte Stewart:  Depression Era Art" exhibit at the Utah Museum of Fine Art.  This is actually only part of a joint LeConte Stewart (1891 - 1990) show, with the other half, "LeConte Stewart:  The Soul of Rural Utah" at the Church History Museum.

There are many wonderful things about this exhibit.  First, this collection of Depression-era paintings demonstrates an artist's contribution as an historian.  As you view paintings like "Lincoln Hotel, Furnished Rooms" (1935) or "Home Loan" (1936) depicting a home vacant due to a foreclosure, you get an idea of the hardships of everyday life during the 1930s.  "Private Car" shows men riding on the Union Pacific trains in search of work, and is another historical scene captured on canvas.

"Private Car" - LeConte Stewart

A second great feature of this exhibit is the opportunity to see Stewart's paintings of the same subject matter.  For example, you can see "Ogden, Becker Brewing" (1933) and next to it "Becker's, Sunday Afternoon" (1933) showing the same building from a different point of view and at a different time of day.  There are several paintings grouped like this in the exhibit, like "Red Fire Plug" (1935) and "Watson's House" (1935).  If you get the chance to see this exhibit at UMFA, take a moment to compare these paintings.

"Smith's House" - LeConte Stewart

I loved being able to view a first and second study of "Smith's House," and then see the final piece.  The first study is a rough blocking in and beginning of color and value.  The second study is more defined, and it is interesting to notice the changes between it and the final piece.  In the final painting, the orange light in the window is played up, and the billboard on the right hand side of the painting is toned down in both value and color.  This focuses your eye on the central building in this painting, and is a wonderful example of making a good composition better.

LeConte Stewart was clearly a master of lighting.  The paintings in this exhibit show warm afternoon light, flat outdoor light, the subtle light of evening and night, and all of the light that plays on snow.  There are several "snow" paintings in the show, and I noticed a quote by Stewart that says he saw "an infinite number of color variations" in winter.  I loved the warm light of "Double Gables" (1935), and the colors of the snow in "Snow Banks" (1940).

"Pea Vinery, Layton" - shows warm daylight

"Winter Evening, Eden", though not in the show at UMFA, demonstrates the subtle light on evening snow.

I also enjoyed the fact that LeConte Stewart managed to take ordinary subject matter, like houses, or a dirt road, or mailboxes, and render them in such a way that they are "art."  This exhibit showcases a variety of mediums in Stewart's work, including pencil, conte crayon, watercolor, and oil.

"Approved by the Postmaster General" makes the ordinary a work of art.

This exhibit runs until January 15, 2012, so you have plenty of opportunity to stop in and see it.  UMFA has free admission on the first Wednesday and third Saturday of each month.  The Church Museum of Art is free.

Here are my ART GALLERY TIPS:

1)  Look behind you!  Often a painting that looked pretty good up close, is stunning from across the room.

2)  Fall in love. You'll know the painting you like.  It is the one you study up close, and then look at again and again from across the room.  It will be the one that resonates with you, that calls you back for another look.  It is the painting you have to see one more time before you leave.  It's the picture that beckons you to step inside, that invites you to journey into its world, the one you wouldn't get tired of hanging in your living room.

One of my favorite paintings in this exhibit was, unfortunately, untitled.  So, if you go, look at "Untitled" (1927), and see if you like it, too.  It shows a house, and sagebrush, and a dirt road set against a background of mountains, and looks like a place you could stay awhile.  If you see it, let me know what you think!  I suspect I'll go visit it again before this exhibit ends.

Read more about LeConte Stewart and this exhibit here

Church Art Museum

Utah Museum of Fine Art