Solo Exhibition of Chicago painter – and Toledo native – Jonathan Ralston opens with first in-person reception in 20 North Gallery in more than 15 months
Free Public Opening Reception
Friday, July 23, from 6 – 9 p.m.
Please plan to attend this milestone event – We’ve missed you!
20 North Gallery is proud to present Shadows and Enlightenment, a solo exhibition of landmark pieces by Chicago artist and Toledo native, Jonathan Ralston.
Depicting architectural elements, the impressive array of exquisitely detailed oil paintings marks the evolution of different styles that have captivated artist Jonathan Ralston through the paths of his travels. The exhibit is comprised of 29 paintings including many never-before-displayed works from the artist’s new Caravaggio Series as well as landmark paintings from throughout the artist’s career.
Not only masterful studies of light and form, Ralston’s paintings are also haunting allegories of the human spirit, as conveyed through the grand spaces we have built. Painted in oil on canvas, linen and panel, Ralston further captures the depth and feeling of inhabiting and traversing these architectural spaces through a variety of small to large-scale scale works, some reaching up to 5 feet in width or height.
20 North Gallery and the artist will be welcoming friends and collectors at the free, public opening reception on Friday, July 23, from 6 – 9 p.m. The event will feature a free, light tapas buffet and cash bar by Venue.
We are working to keep you safe—masks are optional for vaccinated patrons. Please wear a mask in the gallery if not vaccinated. We kindly request that individuals who feel unwell/are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 remain at home, regardless of vaccination status. At the reception, our event capacity limits will be observed.
This exhibit continues through September 25, 2021.
The architect Bernard Maybeck is quoted as saying “Architecture is the handwriting of Man.” What do the buildings that we choose to erect and inhabit say about us, both as individuals and as a society? I have been exploring these questions for close to 30 years…
– Jonathan Ralston
Jonathan Ralston (Chicago, Illinois) A native of Toledo, Jonathan Ralston attended Maumee Valley Country Day School. He received his B.A. from Wheaton College (Norton, Massachusetts) in 1992 and has worked as a professional artist since then. Additionally, for 15 years he served as gallery manager for commercial galleries in Naples (Florida) and Martha’s Vineyard (Massachusetts).
Since 2007, Ralston’s paintings have been included in numerous group exhibitions at prestigious commercial galleries including North Water Gallery, Gardner Colby Gallery, Susan Calloway Fine Art (Washington, D.C.) and Eisenhauer Gallery (Edgartown, Massachusetts), as well as at The Baker Museum of Art (Naples, Florida). In 2018, he participated in the international art competition ArtPrize, held annually in Grand Rapids, Michigan, across multiple venues including the Grand Rapids Art Museum and the The Gerald Ford Presidential Museum. Additionally, his work has been included in the National Oil & Acrylic Painters’ Society’s (NOAPS) 2018 Spring International On-Line Exhibition as well as the NOAPS Holiday Small Works exhibit in 2017.
Ralston is represented at North Water Gallery (Edgartown, Massachusetts) and Gardner Colby Gallery (Naples, Florida). His work is included in multiple corporate collections and published in “100 Boston Painters” (Chawky Frenn, Schiffer Publishing, Ltd., 2012).
He has enjoyed numerous solo exhibitions at North Water Gallery (Edgartown, Massachusetts) in addition to a solo exhibit, Structures and Spaces at Old Town Triangle Association (Chicago, Illinois) in 2017. In 2019, he was honored by his alma mater with a solo exhibit at the Wolfe Gallery, Maumee Valley Country Day School (Toledo, Ohio).
