Wednesday, December 8, 2010

David Ohlerking Exhibit - Newton's 2nd Saturday

Detail of Cheddar Alley, 24" x 48", Oil on Panel, ©2010 David Ohlerking






The long-anticipated exhibit, David Ohlerking Paints Newton, opens this Saturday evening at TraillWorks with a reception from 5 - 8pm.  Meet David and share some holiday treats, including my grandmother's sand tarts (a simple sugar cookie with egg, flour and sugar) which Joel helped my mom and me make for the first time, and wine and coffee.


I'm so excited to share David's work formally at the gallery. Not only is David an incredibly talented painter, but he's also very prolific, leaving me with many choices as far as hanging the show. He made a trip up to Newton yesterday to finish a few painting backings so that I would be able to hang more of his work.

I first met David early this summer when he was painting free portraits in front of Cheddar Alley. Dennis Becker, husband of Cheddar Alley's owner, Kristi, brought David up to paint. I introduced myself to him and was immediately taken by his fresh approach and his pure motivation! David's work has been in the gallery since that day; I invited him to stop by and he walked over with me right then and there with a wet painting in tow and asked if I would sell them. Sensing his talent and confidence, I said sure.

Quatrefoil (JC's Grillhouse), 24" x 24", Oil on Panel, ©2010 David Ohlerking

The works included in the show span only a year in the making, but indicate several clear shifts in his approach to painting. When I first met David he was painting directly on primed Masonite panels, and now he is painting on untouched dry-erase boards, from which he wipes out the paint using stacks of business cards. His recent pieces are immensely luminous because of the subtractive nature of his painting. Not only are there paintings of Newton, but also many other neighboring NJ and PA towns such as Stroudsburg, Easton, Washington, and Chester to name a few. His works started as streetscapes and now have branched out into landscape, and there is a fantastic painting of two sheep!

Two Sheep, 24" x 24", Oil on Panel, ©2010 David Ohlerking

Read more about the exhibit and download the complete press release here. Check out some of the paintings of David's on the TraillWorks' Facebook Page.

On top of David's opening Saturday, Newton is going to be hopping with holiday festivities. It's our 2nd Saturday and every December we hold a holiday stroll. During the afternoon, Santa will be strolling Spring Street and then stopping from 4 - 5pm for pictures at Mother Moon Baby Boutique. Then the street will be lit by luminaries during the evening as carolers from the Newton schools get shoppers in the holiday spirit. Cheddar Alley, Trimmings, Truffles, and Toast of the Town are having open houses from 5 -8pm with tastings, pairings, and too many other things to list.

If you haven't made a trip to Newton, NJ yet, now's a great time. A new customer to the gallery today told me she was planning on driving to PA to shop and when she drove through Newton, after seeing all it has to offer, decided she would shop here instead. It's a charming little town, with lots of shopping, eating, and art possibilities on a little street.

I'll leave you with one final hook and reminder of my newsletter contest, if you sign up for my email newsletter by Friday, there are some private offers inside that will be sure to please you. And, you'll be entered to win a 2011 TraillWorks calendar.

2 comments:

Martha C. Hall said...

Can't wait to meet David and stroll Spring Street on Saturday!

Unknown said...

Yippee! See you tomorrow.