GO TO ARTIST'S GALLERY - J.T. Grant

J.T. Grant Advocate's Adjunct Oil On Canvas 24 x 18 inches

An exhibition of new oil paintings by Fort Worth artist J.T. Grant will be on display September 5-October 10 at William Campbell Contemporary Art. An opening reception will be held on Fall Gallery Night, Saturday, September 12, 2:00-9:00 p.m. The exhibition will feature a collection of the artist's figurative works, skyscapes, and still lifes. These thought-provoking works juxtapose a contemporary approach with a classical application, resulting in scenes that are technically engaging yet visually surprising.

J.T. Grant paints in a naturalistic style reminiscent of the Old Masters. Rich pigments and careful attention to light quality and its effects coalesce to create three-dimensional portrayals of familiar subject matter, including human figures and open sky. However, his scenes are not always as they appear at first glance-look carefully and they are not placid, but full of subtle drama and commentary.

Grant's intricate skyscapes draw attention to the vast expanses of the universe, while dwarfing terra firma, both visually and intellectually. This celebration of sky appears in August Ice, which focuses not on the landscape where we live, but on the space that lies above. The sky is kinetic, independent, and always in flux, as the clouds dance and churn to tell the story of another reality altogether. Most importantly, they exist in a realm beyond human control, free from the vestiges of mankind. Meanwhile, the ground becomes superfluous and flawed, rendered impotent by the encroachment of civilization-evidenced here by the subtly painted swath of farmland, cleared of the forest in the name of "progress."

Perhaps the most overtly powerful of the group are Grant's portraits. Here, the artist employs distinctive tenebrism and classical composition, visually isolating the subjects from their backgrounds and giving them monumental prominence, even as they appear physically or emotionally compromised in some way. Advocate's Adjunct (seen above) depicts a "sin-eater" - a relic of European and Appalachian burial traditions in which a social outcast was employed to eat and drink over a body before its burial to absolve the deceased of his/her transgressions. Although he performs an otherwise selfless service, absorbing the ills of society, he is also considered a pariah. This sin eater, anonymous and disregarded, attempts to remake himself as a grave functionary in his found cap and drape that nonetheless fail to obscure the commonness of his exposed undershirt. This scenario reflects upon an individual's need to find place and value no matter the level of society within which they stand.

While his paintings exhibit a cerebral complexity influenced by current events and social mores, the artist states that he has no pre-defined agenda to communicate when painting, leaving each piece open to viewer interpretation. This prescription makes his art a truly personal experience, for both Grant and his audience.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
A native of Georgia, J.T. Grant received his BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University and his MFA from Texas Christian University. His work may be found in various public collections, including those of the Dallas Museum of Art, the Art Museum of South Texas in Corpus Christi, and the Fort Worth Public Library, among others. He has received commissions from the Omni Hotel, RadioShack, and Acme Brick in Fort Worth, and in 2008, he was commissioned to create a Christmas Ornament for the Whitehouse.

A scholar and teacher as well, Grant has presented lectures and taught art classes at the Kimbell Art Museum, Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, and TCU. Grant's works have been shown in solo and group exhibitions throughout Texas and nationally for nearly two decades, including such juried exhibitions as Art in the Metroplex and First Texas Annual. Awards and honors include participation in Texas' Annual Congressional Arts Competition and recognition as the featured artist in the 2003 Artists Against AIDS exhibition in Fort Worth.

ABOUT THE GALLERY

Founded in 1974 by William and Pam Campbell, William Campbell Contemporary Art exhibits high-quality contemporary art in a variety of media, including paintings, works on paper, mixed-media constructions, photography, prints, ceramics, and sculpture. By exhibiting nationally recognized artists, along with new and emerging talent, the gallery aims to nurture an awareness and appreciation of the exciting diversity found in contemporary art.