Camden Falls Gallery kicks off the 2023 season with “Homecoming – Spring Launch”, a two-person exhibition featuring works by Jonathan McPhillips and Jay Brooks. The show opens during Camden’s Third Thursday Art Walk on May 18 from 5 to 7 p.m. and will run through June 12th.
After running a retail business in Camden for nearly 45 years and shifting into a seasonal operation, our Homecoming Show is one of my favorite shows of the year. The combined works and efforts by Jonathan McPhillips and Jay Brooks are a great start to the 2023 season. We’ve titled the show “Spring Launch” as I liken the efforts of artists in winter to that of coastal boat builders who have been busy in their workshops designing, repairing, and finally painting, varnishing, and looking forward to launch day.
Over the last three years, Jon and Jay have developed a deep friendship and artistic relationship that has led to a more synergistic approach to their working methods. Having first met at Cape Ann Plein Air competition in 2019, Jon and Jay became fast friends with a mutual interest in each other’s work, techniques, and outlooks.
The friendship took off with a flourish only to be sidetracked in 2020 with the challenges of the pandemic. Texts and phone calls soon merged into video calls which over time turned into full daily virtual painting sessions. These sessions provided shared inspiration and solace, whether discussing hot topics of the day, or exploring the intricacies of their craft. Their virtual painting sessions were filled with passion, creativity, and energy. Jay reflects about the relationship, “Since I retired from teaching in the heart of the pandemic, the isolation has caused a craving for the company of other artists. Jon has helped fill that void. Sometimes during our virtual painting sessions, we step out of our studios to share with each other the surrounding scenery that inspires us. Setting up an extra tripod and device outdoors in front of our easels lends itself to sharing our plein air sessions, even if we’re hundreds of miles apart. This has been an inspiration for me since I have embarked on my journey as a full-time artist.”
Jonathan McPhillips hails from Rhode Island and describes his work as “contemporary impressionism.” He is known for his impressionistic radiance in daybreak and dusk paintings and his ability to capture the shimmering glow of flickering lights in his nocturnal scenes. Says Jonathan, "I strive to capture the unforgettable seascapes and scenery of Mid-coast Maine, and beyond. However, I also hope to initiate joyful memories and emotions for the collectors of my work. It is the relatable experience that connects the artist, the painting, and the viewer.”
Jay Brooks lives in upstate New York and has the unique ability to create magical images culled from everyday life. He starting painting at the young age of 14, under the classical apprenticeship of John Piesley and the plein air instruction of Charles Movalli, a disciple of the late Emile Gruppe. After receiving his B.F.A. from Carnegie-Mellon University and his M.F.A. from Columbia University, he painted the industrial environments of Pittsburgh and New York City before returning to his bucolic roots in upstate New York, where he taught high school art for over 35 years. Since retiring from teaching, he has enjoyed the freedom to expand beyond his studio work and again enjoy the camaraderie and immediacy of plein air painting.
