Billis/Williams Gallery is pleased to present a feature of new paintings by Los Angeles based artist Judy Nimtz. The exhibition opens with a reception on October 17th and continues through November 14th.
Judy Nimtz is well known for her figurative work and plein air landscape paintings. In this new series, she joins the two in an exploration of poetic moments. Pulling from source imagery taken while traveling overseas, Nimtz is giving us a glimpse in places that have inspired her. In a nod to the 19th century Grand European Tour, this series of paintings is a contemporary artist’s travelogue.
The push and pull between now and the past is apparent in these new paintings. The architecture situates us in places deeply rooted in history but the choice of composition is unassuming and personal. There is an intimacy to these paintings – their scale and compositions invite the viewer in close for a glimpse into the artist’s experiences in different countries. We are struck by the play of light and shadow, by the angles of rooflines, by the figures at rest or intensely focused on a task. The artist is sharing snapshots rendered in oil under deeply considered circumstances and imbued with a powerful sense of place.
There is a joy in these paintings that finds its source in the pairing of stunning locales and magically dream-like paint handling. The paintings are the antithesis of the endless stream of throwaway digital photos many of us take while traveling. These are measured and slow and thoughtful and with the unexpected sense that we are outside of time – the paintings are of now but also not.
Judy Nimtz (b. 1973) was born in Taipei, Taiwan and grew up in Hawai’i. She studied Art, Geology and Hawaiian studies at the University of Hawai’i before transferring to the Art Institute of Southern California where she received her BFA. She then joined Cal State Fullerton’s Master’s program before finishing her MFA at Laguna College of Art & Design. Her work has been exhibited widely including solo exhibitions in Los Angeles, New York, and Seattle. She was the Borgo Finocchieto Artist-In-Residence in Siena, Italy, as well as the Monteverdi Artist-In-Residence in Tuscany, Italy and has taught students from elementary to college aged. Nimtz lives and works in Venice, CA.
