“Meditations on the Infinite,” a collection of work by artist David Cunningham, will be exhibited Dec. 8 through Jan. 28 in the Mildred Cox Gallery at William Woods University.
A closing reception and gallery talk will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 28. The exhibit, gallery talk and reception are free and open to the public.
Cunningham’s compelling, realistic paintings have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in galleries and museums throughout the United States. In his meticulously crafted oil paintings, he combines traditional 15th century Dutch technique with contemporary ideas about space and composition.
Through preliminary drawings, value-based underpainting and multiple thin layers of colors, he creates paintings that celebrate three-dimensional illusion.
His current body of work focuses on the color relationships and juxtaposition of shapes and textures found in stones. The paintings reveal the power, hardness and permanence of its subject matter, creating subtle narratives that resonate with something deep, primitive and spiritual.
“To me, Art (yes that is Art with a big ‘A’) is about seeing the beauty that is often overlooked and reminding the world that it exists,” Cunningham said. “This is in essence enlightenment, or waking up. The process of painting is that for me: a lengthy exploration which reveals the beauty of the overlooked both in me and in what I am painting.”
Exhibited in more than a dozen juried and invitational exhibits, the work has received high praise and awards at contemporary art exhibits.
Cunningham’s paintings are found in both public and corporate collections, including St Meinrad Monastery, The Indiana State Museum, Fifth Third Bank and Vectren Corporation. In addition, his paintings have appeared in Luxe and American Artist Magazine. Currently, his work is being sold through galleries in Indiana and Michigan.
A resident of Indianapolis, Indiana, Cunningham is a professor of art at Franklin College where he teaches painting, design, ceramics and issues in contemporary art.
The Mildred Cox Gallery, located in the Gladys Woods Kemper Center for the Arts, is open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.