April 6, 2010

to

May 1, 2010

Robert H. Farris, Jr.’s The Painted Garden exhibit will be held at the Westfield State College Downtown Art Gallery April 6 to May 1 in its temporary location at 108 Elm St.  Robert H. Farris Jr. will display his paintings inspired by Stanley Park and other New England gardens.

A free public reception for the artist is set for 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, April 8 and features classical music of Peter Blanchette and his arch guitar and refreshments.  Normal gallery hours are 2 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday.

About Robert H. Farris, Jr.

Robert Farris has been painting the objects and scenery of New England  for thirty-two years. He paints in the manner of traditional realism using  a technique of building up layers of glazing over a basic underpainting.

Robert says “Painting is not so much a desire as an obsession.”  The obsession  began as a little boy’s amusement. It was nurtured with lessons from noted  Lynn artist Charles Impel, and grew under the instruction of Ruth Sparks.  Robert then went on to study at Massachusetts College of Art.  Farris has a particular fascination with architecture. He often heads  out with his sketch book to old sections of the North Shore recording  something he saw earlier in his travels. He does finished paintings from these sketches in his studio.  “I’ll paint on anything” states Farris, who once sketched a wild snowstorm  on a napkin while riding in the back seat of a friend’s car. After seeing  what he wants to paint, and then sketching it,  Farris can barely wait to begin putting oil on canvas.  “I get so excited I just start painting,  I can sense it.   It’s almost as if I can smell it.”

As an associate member of Oil Painters of America, Farris participates  in regional and national shows. He is also a professional member of the  Society of Egg Tempera Painters, the American Society of Classical Realism,  North Shore Art Association and Provincetown Art Association and Museum.

Robert has won numerous awards through many local art associations. In  1994, Farris won 11th place in The Artist’s Magazine Competition, In 1996  he was inducted into the Grumbacher Hall of Fame and has received three  prestigious Grumbacher Gold Medallion Awards.