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Black and Brown get creative at the GC South Rim

Elizabeth Black’s “Looking Down to Buck Farm.” Oil on wood panel, 2010. Submitted images.

Elizabeth Black’s “Looking Down to Buck Farm.” Oil on wood panel, 2010. Submitted images.

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - Painter Elizabeth Black and photographer Chris Brown from Boulder, Colo. are the South Rim Artists-in-Residence until April 16.

Black and Brown are well versed in the landscape of the desert southwest and the Rocky Mountains. When not tending their Christmas tree farm in Boulder, Colo., they are outside in the forests, canyons, fields and meadows, in pursuit of their art forms. Both have been river guides on the Colorado River, and both have spent much of their lives exploring the wilderness and backcountry of our public lands. This creative couple is widely exhibited throughout the United States and their work has appeared in many public and private collections.

Black's photo-realistic watercolor and oil landscape paintings follow the tradition of the great Grand Canyon painter Gunnar Widforss (1879-1934), whose iconic work defined the public's perception of the extraordinary landscapes of the American southwest. Her award-winning, crystal-clear and gorgeous paintings capture both a historic and contemporary aesthetic, as she deliberately follows in the footsteps of this most influential art mentor, visiting the very sites from which he painted and creating her own visual response to those locations. Black has been a plein air artist-participant in Grand Canyon Association's Celebration of Art event since its inception four years ago.

"I paint realistic western landscapes of the places I know best, where I have spent long days gazing at the wilderness," Black said. "I love depicting beauty. For many years, my paintings have been about the wonder of unforgettable scenes in deep canyons, high mountains, or the secrets of flowing water."

Black said the Grand Canyon is of special interest in her work, calling the natural wonder her "spirit guide."

"Over the years, the Canyon has revealed great beauty, and showed me how to endure and to see," she said. "It has taught me how to live lightly on the earth and how to hold up half the sky. The Canyon has given me many gifts. In my painting, I try to pass some of them on to you."

Brown's photography encompasses both the tremendous expanse of Grand Canyon landscape and the remarkable details of its harsh and extravagantly dramatic ecosystem. His remarkable eye for the colors, contrasts and textures of the landscape reflect the diversity that the Grand Canyon and wilderness of the southwest holds. Chris is also the author of "Path of Beauty: Photographic Adventures in the Grand Canyon."

"As far as we know, we live on the best planet in the universe," Brown said. "It is our own Garden of Eden, at just the right temperature, with good things to eat, and, it is the most beautiful place there is. Humankind has accomplished some amazing things. We have created beautiful art, architecture, music and philosophy. We have come to understand much about the world we live in and how it works; we can fly around the world and into space; we have made some wonderful toys for ourselves. Yet, for all the beauty and ingenuity of our creations, we have not improved the beauty of our home.

When we are able to get away from that part of the landscape dominated by man-made projects and activities, one always finds spiritual peace and rejuvenation. I have spent much of my life living in the wilderness, and my photography is both homage to our home, and an attempt to share some of the beauty, and solace, that derives from wild places. We sometimes destroy that which nourishes us, and what we love-so we need to be more careful with our Garden."

Black and Brown shared a three-week residency on the north rim of the Grand Canyon during the summer of 2012, and this south rim opportunity will continue their lifetime of explorations of the landscape that is the greatest personal and artistic influence for both of them.

Black will present an Evening Program artist talk at the Shrine of the Ages on April 14 at 7:30 p.m. During the program she will discuss the influence Gunnar Widforss' work has had on her painting, and share stories from her residency experience. Brown will display some of his work during this program, and both of the artists will be available for conversations after the program. In addition, a small show of Brown and Black's work is currently on exhibit at Park Headquarters through April 14, open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

More on the artists may be found at www.elizabethblackart.com and www.chrisbrownphotography.com.


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