The landscape paintings of the Texas-born George Sorrels, at Lancaster Galleries, are small in size (averaging about 8” by 10” or so) but large in scope. The sky and its clouds dominate, and the “land” part of the landscape – a river, a golden hillside, a line of mountains, a tree or two – is concentrated at the bottom of the frame. Sometimes the only sign of land is the top of a tree (“Crosswinds”), and sometimes all we see is the sky. (One exception is “River Window,” a glimpse of water framed by densely-leaved trees.)
Sorrels, who was giving a demonstration at Lancaster Galleries for Artist Saturday, discussed his work with visitors as he worked at another small painting, scrubbing colors into the canvas with a small stiff brush. He paints alla prima plein air – outdoors, on site, usually during the summer, working quickly, with oil paint in a fast-drying mixture. It’s his mastery of the cool and warm tones of color that gives his paintings their depth: “Color as space,” he called it. “I’m not even a landscape painter; I’m too interested in the light,” Sorrels said. “Every day it’s a totally different experience.” Sorrels, who is now retired, taught art at Kutztown University for over 30 years, and the southcentral Pennsylvania countryside and rivers are very recognizable in many of these works.
In the rear of the gallery are works that are radically different in one key respect: same dimensions, same subject matter (with some night scenes as well), but done in grisaille. The viewer is plunged into a world of shades of gray, but grays created of color and that show “color as space” at its most extreme reduction. Also on display are some of Sorrels’ extraordinarily handsome sketchbooks.
Lancaster Galleries is located at 34 N. Water St., Lancaster; there will be an artist’s reception for First Friday (April 4) 5-9 p.m.
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Artists’ Saturday was a new event for LancasterARTS and the downtown community, but (with a boost from the weather) a fair number of people turned out. Demonstrations are a great idea, and I’m hoping to see more next time around (I’m not sure when that will be).
