In the late 1880′s, Clark Greenwood Voorhees took a bike ride through Old Lyme, Connecticut. Though he had just received a BA in Chemistry, an interest in art was emerging, and he eventually settled in the picturesque town that sits alongside Long Island Sound. Other artists followed, and what has been referred to as “the most famous Impressionist-oriented art colony in America” was formed. After a stint in Paris where he studied the impressionist style of painting, Voorhees went on to create a well-regarded collection of works. These works, however, had been held close by the family, and only now have been released for viewing.
Hawthorne Fine Art will be exhibiting thirty Voorhees paintings until February 27, 2010. The program entitled, “The Light Lies Softly, The Impressionist Art of Clark Greenwood Voorhees,” will be the first full-scale show of the artist’s work in three decades. Gallery owner Jennifer Krieger considers the exhibition an extraordinary honor. “It is exceedingly rare to uncover a hidden trove of work by a first-rate American Impressionist, especially one with so many polished large-scale works,” she explains. “Voorhees’ works possess technical and stylistic qualities that unquestionably parallel those of his contemporaries Willard Metcalf, William Merritt Chase, John Twachtman and Childe Hassam.”
Of particular note is the fact that Voorhees was from a well to do family that explains why he could allow his impressionist instincts to take over rather than strive for commercial success. Most of his works remained with the Voorhees family.
A tour of the exhibition is a treat for the connoisseur of fine art or the novice. Each will come away with an appreciation of the artist, see up-close the distinct and lovely brush strokes, the combination of light and shadow that makes up the “tonalism” style. With a background in fine art, Jennifer makes an able hostess as she tours visitors throughout the gallery, providing the background for many of the paintings. It is worth the trip to see so many works by a true American artist. The mission of the Hawthorne Fine Art is to build excellent private and institutional collections, finding beautiful paintings that bring inspiration and delight to itsclients. After all, as Eugene Delacroix (19th century French Romantic painter) once wisely stated, “A painting is a bridge between the soul of the artist and that of the spectator.”
The Light Lies Softly, The Impressionist Art of Clark Greenwood Voorhees (1871-1933)
Hawthorne Fine Art
74 East 79th Street between Park and Madison Avenues
Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and by appointment. For more information 212-731-0550
www.hawthornefineart.com
A full color exhibition catalogue is available upon request
