Christopher Perry     Images | Bio

Places stop me in my tracks. Places burn into my mind. Memory changes the landscape in captivating ways. As I reflect on these remembered places they evolve and change as they are savored. My memories develop and simplify and get stripped down to their essence. They grow with saturation and intensity until I can contain them no longer. I then physically engage this contained energy to create my work.

My landscapes have an abstract feel with recognizable forms to convey a sense of discovery and mystery. My work is further characterized by bold marks, smooth surfaces, and expressive lines. The silhouettes of my works are filled with saturated darks that are loaded with color; deep chocolate browns and warm burgundies. From this darkness emerges the warmth of light. I seek concentrated landscapes where twilights’ shadows melt the suns raking light and atmosphere diffuses the view. This Chiaroscuro gives us all that is in between.

I create in two separate mediums; oil painting and kiln-glass. My oil paintings inspire the kiln-glass work and my kiln-glass inspires the oil paintings. There is a constant dialogue between the two.

With these works I want to make the viewer feel the energy and mood and to provoke the viewer to think about the dynamic relationships in there lives. I want the viewer to experience the sensuality of darkness and the uplifting inspiration of light. This relationship between light and dark mirrors the experience of all that is life. In future series I am eager to further explore this subject matter particularly as it relates to working on large scale installations that viewers can immerse themselves in.

Christopher Perry - Chiaroscuro

Education
1993	Bachelor of Fine Arts, Marylhurst University, Marylhurst, Oregon

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2009 2009 2007 2007 2006 2005 2003 2002 2001 2001 2000 1994

Butthers Gallery, Portland, OR Karin Clarke Gallery, Eugene, OR Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Terzian Gallery, Park City, UT Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Connextions Gallery, Sausalito, CA Butters Gallery, Portland, OR PDX Gallery Installation, Portland, OR Connextions Gallery, Sausalito, CA Comus Gallery, Portland, OR

Selected Group Exhibitions

2009 2009 2009 2009 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2008 2007 2007 2006 2006 2006 2006 2005 2004 2002 2002 2001 2001 2000 2000 1997 1996 1995 1994

Gallery, IMA, Seattle, WA Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Cedar Street Galleries, Honolulu, HI Honolulu Contemporary Museum Gallery, Honolulu, HI Seattle Art Museum Gallery, Seattle, WA Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Terzian Galleries, Park City, UT Giustina Art Gallery, Corvallis, OR Art Adventure Gallery, Madras, OR Honolulu Contemporary Museum Gallery, Honolulu, HI Crossroads Art Center, Baker City, OR Umpqua Valley Arts Assoc., Roseburg, OR Cedar Street Galleries, Honolulu, HI Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Terzian Gallery, Park City, UT Sikkema Jenkins & Co. Gallery, New York, NY Artists Space Gallery, New York, New York Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Terzian Galleries, Park City, UT Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Butters Gallery, Portland, OR Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA PDX Gallery, Portland, OR Littman Gallery PSU, Portland, OR PDX Gallery, Portland, OR Berkeley Art Center, Berkeley, CA University of Oregon Museum of Art, Eugene, OR Art Gym Gallery, Marylhurst, OR Lake Oswego Library Gallery, Lake Oswego, OR Comus Gallery, Portland, OR

Selected Invitational and Juried Exhibitions

2008 2008 2005 2005 2004 2003 2001 2001 2000 1999 1998 1998 1995 1995 1995 1995 1995

Salem Arts Association, Salem, OR Portland Street of Dreams, Portland, OR Columbia Arts Center, Hood River, OR NW Natural Street of Dreams, OR Chehalem's Summer Art Release, Newburg, OR Gresham City Hall VIsual Arts Gallery, Gresham, OR Hentry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA Gresham City Hall Visual Arts Gallery, Gresham, OR Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA Littman Gallery PSU, Portland, OR University of Oregon Museum of Art, Eugene, OR Japanese Garden Pavilion, Portland, OR Giustina Art Gallery, Corvallis, OR Skylight Gallery Enterprise, OR Tillamook Visitors Center Gallery, Tillamook, OR State Capitol Gallery, Salem, OR Oregon State Galery, Salem, OR

Selected Collections

Bellevue Towers, Bellevue, WA Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR