Rackstraw Downes Paintings and Drawings at BETTY CUNINGHAM GALLERY

James Kalm is on Rivington Street, and decides to bring viewers along for an extended close viewing of the work of one of today’s most acclaimed realists, Rackstraw Downes. For several decades now, Downes has been patiently building a reputation for sharp focused landscape painting. As a humanistic challenge to the camera, and digital reality, the painter has emphasized his commitment to personal observation, working from nature on site from start to finish. Though working contemporaneously with the “Photo-Realists” Downes stays “old school” and never allows himself to be intimidated into relinquishing his vision and touch to a machine. This group of paintings and drawings bare witness to his skill and mastery of his subject. This program was recorded October 14, 2018. A musical introduction is provided by D.D. King.