David Witbeck has quickly become an iconic artist in regards to Maine Art Hill. When our visitors walk in the gallery for a second, tenth, or millionth time, they always remember and recognize Witbeck’s work.
For his 2019 Fall show, Witbeck shared tidbits, stories, and insights into a few of his pieces featured for this show. We want to share them with you.
Owls Head
“Owls Head is the inspiration for this piece. I spent time there one summer with Barbara, my wife. I certainly took some liberty in scale and added details. My favorite part of this is the tree. It probably has more detail than any other tree I have done. The intensity of having it in the foreground makes it more important. The sparkle in the water is again detail that brings the realism forward,” says Witbeck. “Many of my new landscape pieces are more atmospheric. With this, a bit of the whimsy is lost as it moves more toward realism. This collection started as a commission piece that was 48x 48. Once completed, I needed more.”
Some Breezy
“This is a title meant to be spoken with a serious Down East dialect. The motion in the waves is more detailed than I have done in the past. That motion creates a more intense background,” shares Witbeck. “Even though the boat is supposed to be the focal point, the surroundings sneak in and beg for notice.”
With Eyes We See
“In my 12 x 12 collection of fishermen and lobstermen, each had mouths, but there were no real facial features. When I moved to 20 x 20, I felt the details had to be more precise. I had to find a way to show emotion but still, remain a bit ambiguous,” explaine Witbeck. “This was hard work. Facial features are some of the most challenging details for me. ”
It’s a Girl!
The lobster women are represented. Annie is such classic and the first of the Witbeck Women of Maine. She is a real Maine woman with a sparkle in her eye. Jo, Sam, and Kate could be sisters and represent the hard-working coastal female. Sal, however, maybe a favorite. She and Ben are indeed partners in this little lobster adventure.
David Witbeck’s new works will be featured at The Gallery on Maine Art Hill at 14 Western Ave until September 26. He shares this show with fellow artists Ellen Welch Granter, Richard Remsen, and David Riley Peterson. The Gallery is open every day at 10 am.