Paintings by Aaron Pickens
January 11 – March 30, 2019
An exhibition of captivating, dual-natured oil paintings by Toledo-area artist Aaron Pickens.
The exhibit continues through March 30, 2019.
20 North Gallery and the artist will be welcoming friends and collectors at the free Public Reception for Toy Stories on Friday, January 11, from 6 – 9 p.m.
Click here to view the 2nd edition Toy Stories exhibition catalogue, updated to include new work and containing art images of the full exhibit with artist information.
The Toy Stories exhibit features joyful and insouciant paintings with a whimsical sense of playfulness that belies the serious narratives they symbolize. Pickens’ paintings are created through dedicated observation of toy tableaux that the artist has built. With an emphasis on light and materiality, he carefully constructs these still life compositions to captivate the viewer. Pickens weaves an additional layer of depth into these bright, bold paintings with the toys and their depicted actions symbolizing and commenting on social issues relevant to today.
A motif in Pickens’ artwork is to critique from a self-effacing position. Pickens states, “One of the unifying themes in my artwork has always been the desire to quietly disrupt some form of artistic convention in a highly refined manner, often using humor to do so.” Activism, art criticism, gun rights and environmental issues are examples of topics addressed in these vibrant works that entice and encourage the viewer to look longer and discover the underlying commentary.
For purchase inquiries, please contact 20 North Gallery:
419-241-2400 or info@20northgallery.com
Toy Stories: Paintings by Aaron Pickens
Installation Images:
Periodically throughout the exhibit, we invited gallery visitors to create their own tableaux with toys similar to those used by Aaron Pickens in his paintings. Click Toy Stories: Audience Participation to see a few of our favorite things…
