This week, I urge you to visit James Kroner: New Work at the Karin Clarke Gallery, an exhibition of oil paintings you can truly immerse yourself in. Kroner blends realism and impressionism, masterfully capturing the essence of light and atmosphere. His skill shines in depicting the "energy in nature"—that shifting quality of light and shadows, especially in changing weather like rain or fog.
One of my favorites is “San Francisco,” a stormy night where the only color in a rain-swept city is the red of a famous streetcar’s lights. Kroner often paints "alla prima," a wet-on-wet technique that lets him capture a scene’s immediate mood within hours.
He builds layers to create atmosphere, and you’ll recognize those fleeting moments he portrays—sunlight on stone, streetlights shimmering on wet pavement, or hills veiled in haze.
I also loved the soft apricot light of “Sunset Over Dresden,” with its silhouetted minarets or church towers reminding me of Europe. This exhibition is a testament to his ability to suggest details with quick, loose brushstrokes, inviting you to feel the whole scene.
Also, discover O’Brien Gallery at 26th and Willamette, next to True Value Hardware and Harlequin Beads—a true pocket gallery open at 1:00 during the week. Patrick Plaia has a show there, born from his shared love affair with Spencer Butte.
And while you’re out, the “Legacy” show at Maude Kerns Art Center is boom! Mind blown! Look for Susan Applegate’s rich, mysterious “Final Moonset,” with the moon setting over the suggestion of a clearcut and a Raven lifting off the saturated orange of a madrone tree.
As I so often tell you, find what you love, and look at it for a long time. Let it fill up the well of your soul.
