John deLorimier: Telling Stories

The work in this show grew out of paintings I did on-site in the late evening and nighttime. I was fascinated with the way objects appear in the special light of these times, especially the effects that happen when a car’s headlights fall on objects. I would set up my easel and paint quickly and then “fix” things back at the studio. It seemed an interesting way to combine the naturalness of a landscape with the effects of a human presence. As time has passed the need to insert a narrative has become more important. I don’t know if this was because of the evocative effect of the lighting in the paintings or the nostalgia I’ve felt for the time when I first did this type of work, but the results have been that the paintings have become more illustrative and less formal. Whatever the reason,

I’m enjoying revisiting incidents and people and portraying the scenes these remembrances evoke.

-John de Lorimier