David Baggarley
"CRUX"
Colo Colo Gallery
February 2 - 27, 2010
Opening Reception: Friday, Feb. 5th
6:00 - 8:00 pm
Colo Colo Gallery is pleased to present the work of local artist, David Baggarly, in the new exhibition “CRUX.” As the title suggests, the artist’s work explores essential and vital questions of the nature, or heart, of reality. Gallery owner Luis Villanueva states, “David’s work spoke immediately to my mission to fill my downtown New Bedford gallery with bright, colorful work of artists of the region, as well as those who are generally underrepresented or undiscovered. His art brings spiritual warmth, and comfort as well as an enjoyable mystique to the gallery. I hope visitors will stop in to enjoy the brilliant quality of his paintings.”
In the exhibit, Colo Colo Gallery presents Baggarly”s oil paintings, collograph and silkscreen-mono prints. His complex, energized and colorful work is predominantly of an abstracted, modern nature. A Christian, David draws from his love of early Christian, Byzantine and Middle Age icons and symbols, as well as his love of modern paintings. In a recent essay, Rhode Island College’s Bannister Gallery Director, James Montford wrote, “Baggarly achieves the metaphor of life’s conditions through a palette of vibrant colors and key symbols fundamental to Christianity.
The artist has eloquently evoked a distinctive art form that speaks to the vision of one’s faith and believing in an iconic truth about life and the deconstruction of excepted norms.” “This series (of oil paintings),” Baggarly says, “melds my ‘modern’ sensibilities of painting with symbols of the ages past, in my desire to prayerfully and reflectively celebrate the divine.”
“Throughout the ages painters have created works of art as acts of reverence, celebration, prayers to God, as well as a means of sharing, and communicating with those around the artist.”
Mr. Baggarly earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute’s College of Art in Baltimore in 1985. He has resided in southern New England since 1988, and is currently a resident of Dartmouth, MA with a permanent studio in the Hatch Street Studios in the north-end of New Bedford, MA.
His work was included in the New Bedford Art Museum's recent "Home Grown....10 from the South Coast" exhibit. David’s recent one-person exhibits include exhibits at Rhode Island College, Northwestern College, Iowa, and the Community College of RI, Flanagen Campus. His works in public and private collections include, MEDITECH, Fall River, MA, Concordia College, Ann Arbor, MI, Johnson & Wales University, and the National Conference of American Bishops. Grants David has received include awards from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts, and the LEF Foundation.
“Crux”, works by David Baggarly, will be on display at Colo Colo Gallery from February 2 – 27, with a public reception from 6-8pm on Friday, February 5th.
Colo Colo Gallery Hours: Wed. & Fri. 3pm – 6pm. Tues., Thurs., & Sat. noon – 5pm. Otherwise, please call for an appointment. AHA! Nights, 2nd Thursday of each month, open from 5-9pm.
