Artist Spotlight: Tom Wheeler - Painted Light in Western Landscapes

Tom Wheeler, Sticks #1, Archival pigment print on cotton fiber, 21.3 x 30"

Tom Wheeler’s newest work builds on his years of long-exposure light-painting experimentation, producing striking photographic imagery situated in vast western landscapes.

Tom Wheeler, Vortex Trio, Archival pigment print on cotton fiber, 21.3 x 30"

Wheeler’s work is crafted to marry his personal sense of aesthetic beauty with elements of abstract expressionism and minimalism while exploring man’s correlation to nature. In this photographic survey, Wheeler does not advocate or condemn any particular relationship human kind has to nature, but acts as an observer showing his appreciation for the synergistic dichotomy between the two.

Tom Wheeler, Boulder, Joshua Tree, Archival pigment print on cotton fiber, 21.3 x 30"

Painted Light in Western Landscapes was created and conceived at the time of exposure, with no image being digitally altered or processed in digital post-production software. Each photograph is a hand-painted, long-exposure image using light-tools such as flashlights and other objects that illuminate his subjects and landscapes, the two often blurring into one entity.

Tom Wheeler, Empty Chair, Archival pigment print on cotton fiber, 21.3 x 30"

Wheeler has implemented light-painting techniques since 1989, venturing on a journey to seek new levels of experimentation with light tools to keep his ideas and portfolio of work innovative. Subsequently, a recurring theme in Wheeler’s work is vast, open landscapes with minimalist components. Wheeler shows the powerful majesty of the natural world and man’s attempt to thrive in its grasp.

Tuesday, May 15 - Saturday, June 9 

Artist Talk: Saturday, June 2, 3pm 

Current Exhibition: Carole Garland, Isabelle Hope Grahm, Tom Wheeler

Tuesday, May 15 - Saturday, June 9 

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 19, 6-10pm 

Artist Talk: Saturday, June 2, 3pm 

Carole Garland - Streaming Color

Carole Garland, Reflections, Watercolor, 25 x 33"

Isabelle Hope Grahm - My Color Garden

Isabelle Hope Grahm, Some Sum More, Acrylic, 36 x 60"

Tom Wheeler - Painted Light in Western Landscapes

Tom Wheeler, Turbine 7, Archival pigment on cotton fiber

Artist Spotlight: Tom Wheeler's Light Lab 2017 - Route 395

Tom Wheeler, Red Fence Alabama Hills, Archival pigment on cotton fiber, 26 x 36"

Light Lab 2017 - Route 395 is Tom Wheeler’s foray into location-focused series work for the first time, while continuing to refine his now familiar and unique style of long-exposure painted-light photography. This magnificent highway is one of the most scenic stretches of road in California and seems an inevitable fit for Wheeler’s pension for grand, sweeping landscapes and dramatic backdrops for his long-exposure nighttime work. He has specialized in painted-light photography for decades now, and demonstrates a mastery of the craft in his most recent show. 

Tom Wheeler, Abstract #2 Along Dolomite Road, Archival pigment on cotton fiber, 36 x 26"

Wheeler’s previous body of work, Light Lab 2016, showcased experimental techniques in a small series of lighted box imagery in the California desert. Light Lab 2017 - Route 395 is a continuation of this work, which generally entails the use of hand-held light tools and translucent experimental props, often using a minimalist style of a brightly lit subject among a vast landscape. Wheeler does not create images in post-production or with Photoshop, but instead opts for lugging all the necessary tools and equipment out into the wilderness to wholly create his stunning imagery at the time of exposure. 

Tom Wheeler, Cube #7, Archival pigment on cotton fiber, 26 x 36"

In Light Lab 2017 - Route 395, Wheeler has once again created cutting-edge imagery as he continues to break across new boundaries in the night-photography genre. He spent a week traveling without a schedule, scouting locations by day and shooting images at night, sometimes until 4am, living out of his car, his tent, and the campy little motels along the way. 

Tom Wheeler, Fully Lit, Archival pigment on cotton fiber, 26 x 36"

Route 395 offered Wheeler the ultimate in outdoor studio settings: from vast meadows buttressing the tallest peaks in the continental U.S, to the ancient bristlecone pines 9000 feet up in those mountains. He explored hundreds of miles of back-roads, discovering abandoned 19th century mining encampments and various locations that offered dramatic sections of the famous aqueduct to Los Angeles. 

Tom Wheeler, ATV Party, USA, Jawbone Canyon, Archival pigment on cotton fiber, 36 x 26"

This exhibition of awe-inducing work is truly a cross-section of the life and scenery of this magical and desolate part of the state. With images spanning only a few sections of this vast road stretching north and south through most of the state, Wheeler assures us that this is merely “Part 1” of Route 395.

Light Lab 2017 - Route 395 is on exhibit until January 21.

Current Exhibition: Karen Woodward Sarrow, Tom Wheeler, New Member Showcase

Tuesday, January 3 – Saturday January 21, 2017

Opening Reception: Saturday, January 7, 5 – 8pm

Artist Panel Discussion: Saturday, January 14, 3pm


Karen Woodward Sarrow – Blue Earth

Karen Woodward Sarrow, Big Blue, Acrylic and ink on canvas 36 x 72"

Tom Wheeler – Light Lab 2017: Route 395

Tom Wheeler, El Cerro Gordo, Archival pigment on cotton fiber, 20 x 30"

Upcoming Exhibition: Vicky Hoffman, Joe Pinkelman, Tom Wheeler

Tuesday, May 17th – Saturday, June 11th, 2016

Opening Reception: Saturday, May 21st, 4 – 7PM

Artist Panel Discussion: Saturday, June 4th, 3PM 

Vicky Hoffman 

Latitude & Longitude  

Vicky Hoffman, Sacred: 34.8N, 111.7W, Encaustic, 12 x 12"

In her latest series of work entitled Latitude & Longitude, Vicky Hoffman explores the impact we have as a society on our environment, and its vastly limited natural resources. Questioning how much further we can exhaust the assets of our earth, Hoffman references ecological concerns such as drinking water, economy, population, and poverty within her work. Using simple geographical coordinates as her titles, Hoffman brings to light specific locations around the world facing such crises.

From sites as far away as Madagascar, and as close as the LA River, Hoffman’s work speaks broadly about our opportunity and responsibility to work collaboratively as a civilization to pollute less, and conserve more. Utilizing different textures, grids, and tactile materials, Hoffman provides an intimate perspective of these environmental worries. Applying mixed media and encaustic paints, Hoffman creates a veil of light, depth, and transparency to achieve an abstract atmosphere within her work.

Joe Pinkelman

Pinching China

Joe Pinkelman, Pinching China #1, Porcelain, 19 x 7 x 7""

In his latest exhibition, artist Joe Pinkelman explored the porcelain pinch pot methods of the indigenous people of Jingdezhen, China. While studying abroad last summer, Pinkelman began experimenting with the time-honored techniques of creating ceramics and using the vocabulary of traditional and ancient Chinese vessels. With a very slow and delicate process, Pinkelman was able to focus on the spiritual and ceremonial aspects of the traditional craft.

Using a customary oxblood red glaze, Pinkelman’s work draws focus to the texture, surface, and shape of each piece. The other forms in this exhibition explore Pinkelman’s continued examination of fragmented vessels, the tension created between two shapes forced together, yet seemingly pulled apart. 

Tom Wheeler

Light Lab 2016: Western Landscapes

Tom Wheeler, Cube #1, Archival pigment print, 26 x 36"

In Light Lab 2016: Western Landscapes, Tom Wheeler presents a dynamic evolution of his continuing work in night photography. His new work reaches beyond the realm of typical night photography and into something unique. Wheeler proposes that this style might be more aptly called light manipulation photography.

Wheeler’s underlying requisite methodology still holds constant, (nighttime long exposures with light-emitting tools such as flashlights, and hand-lit subjects among vast, awe-inducing, starry landscapes) while many of the images in his newest series challenge the elements of composition in traditional night photography. Moving beyond his previous approach, these new images are no longer necessarily bounded by complete starry darkness and now include “fast work” in rapidly changing pre-dawn and post-dusk light situations.

Although always a primary subject, nature itself is no longer the only cast member, as man-made intrusion and/or coexistence is introduced into his new work as a theme. A recurring subject is a lonely plastic snowman, as well as exploration with portable acrylic light rods and large glowing hand-hit Lucite boxes. Experimentation is paramount in Wheeler’s artistic process, spurring the title Light Lab 2016, as Wheeler intends to morph his style of work as he progresses. Wheeler holds the idea that there is an abundance of untapped compositional style in the world of night imagery, and thoroughly enjoys the journey and thrill of exploration in this genre of photography.

Light Lab 2016, showcases a variety of images in beautiful settings along the West Coast region of the American continents from the upper US to the bottom tip of Chile. Wheeler’s recurring styles lean toward minimalism, with vast wide-angle landscapes and tiny, yet powerfully lit up subjects, with some of his work continuing to show a somewhat quirky sense of humor.

DEADLINE EXTENDED for TAG's California Open Exhibition until June 30, 2015

Artists!
Consider entering TAG's Califirnia Open juried exhibition.
The juror this year is Jim Morphesis.
For more information, please click here. 

Elizabeth Szymczak and Tom Wheeler had these pieces in the 2014 California Open Exhibition.
They became TAG members in 2015.

Elizabeth Szymczak, Repose, Oil on Canvas, 24x30, 2013

Tom Wheeler, Ghost Trees, Digital Print, 20x30, 2013

Tom Wheeler, Plastic Horse, Digital Print, 20x30, 2013

Walk the Shows: Katie Crown, Gary Polonsky, Joan Ransohoff, Tom Wheeler

Enjoy this virtual tour of the current shows. Come see the work in person at TAG until June 13th.

TAG Video Show 6 2015 from TAG Gallery on Vimeo.

Coming Exhibition: Katie Crown, Gary Polonsky, Joan Ransohoff, Tom Wheeler

Tues May 19 - Sat June 13, 2015 

Reception: Sat., May 30, 5-8 p.m. 

Artist Talk: Sat., June 6, 3 p.m. 

KATIE CROWN

Audiences

Katie Crown, Audience 4, Oil on canvas, 49x73"

Katie Crown’s new paintings of audiences are an extension of her earlier ceramic sculptures of audiences and her paintings of people in other group settings. She goes for humor in all these works, now with a palette from black to white. 

Her favorite movies are the gritty film noir dramas from the 1940s and ‘50s, and these audience paintings can be seen as a nod to noir: raw, not tasteful.  Crown was influenced by German Expressionist art, and film noir actually grew out of interest in early German Expressionist film.  The contorted faces and odd angles intrigue her.  When studying at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, she took courses in German Expressionist film and literature.  Katie loves Paul Klee for his humor and poetic sense, but when painting figuratively she's more indebted to Max Beckmann and Ludwig Kirchner.  Crown uses patterns to energize the scenes. Her “audiences” ride the border between reality and cartoon.  

GARY POLONSKY

New Work from the Food Series

Gary Polonsky, Del Monte Fruit Cocktail, Acrylic and mixed media, 21 x 9 x 9"

Breaking from the flat surface of traditional painting, Gary Polonsky brings three-dimensional painting to a new level of depth and focus as he revisits his food series. Polonsky began exploring non-traditional mediums and eventually settled on a combination of Balsawood, Styrofoam and wire-mesh to create eye-catching wall-based constructions that leave the viewer awestruck.

Though wall-based, Polonsky’s work have a tangible quality. One is very tempted to touch and feel the work. It is as if the pieces are teasing the viewer. They are clearly not edible, but one has an insatiable desire to pick them up and take a bite! 

JOAN RANSOHOFF

POSTCARDS FROM THE FIELD

Joan Ransohoff, Santa Ynez Vineyard, Oil on canvas, 10 x 18"

Joan Ransohoff's exhibition of work features original paintings done on location and inspired by the artist’s travels around the country, particularly California, Idaho, Utah, Washington, Connecticut, New York and the Hudson River Valley. Not all paintings are done on location to completion. Some are studies on site and finished in the studio. Working from nature directly allows Ransohoff to see color and shadow differently and in the studio, she uses photographs to sharpen her memory. On location, she makes quick sketches of the landscape to get the composition. Then she focuses on color.

Ransohoff is an instinctual painter, and tries not to get too detailed. Ultimately, her goal is to load the car and head out to find a scene that challenges her to try and capture its freshness. Joan Ransohoff is an artist member of the California Art Club and serves on the board of The California Art Academy and Museum.

TOM WHEELER

Into the Night

Tom Wheeler, The Great Green Electric, Archival pigment print, ed. 1/10, 36 x 44”

Tom Wheeler likes to light things up, literally, and with flashlights. That is probably a good thing, or maybe a necessity, because he is a landscape photographer who works in complete darkness. 

Outdoor photographers often speak passionately of light, created uniquely at a moment in time by nature, by something close to divine circumstance. Wheeler approaches the use of light, and even photographic elements themselves, quite differently in his landscape imagery. 

Landscape photography is always at the foundation of his images. Most of his photography is, in fact, about the landscape first, and then an enhancement, or artistic license with light tools. All imagery is hand-made at the time of exposure and there are no additions by Photoshop or any other means added in post-production processing. Some of his themes include whimsy. Beach balls in the desert, a life-sized plastic horse, or a cement deer are all fair “game”. But on closer look, there is also a serious reverence to nature as well. In all his artwork there is interpretation, but even the subjects in his whimsical work are most often framed within spectacular elements of natural surroundings. The rugged and often remote "wilds" of the western U.S. are subject locations of preference, while unspoiled deserts, mountains, and forests of this region offer a myriad of photo opportunities.