Wyoming is a vast, rugged and variable landscape with high mountains, canyon lands, high plains deserts and active volcanic features in Yellowstone National Park. So dramatic are these areas that they have been painted by artists for as long as there have been artists traveling in the region. Consequently, the cliche of the "Western landscape" creates a challenge for the contemporary artist to find new meaning and new ways to interpret this land. This challenge to overcome the cliche has become the focus of Guerin's paintings, exploring new ways of carrying the traditions of American landscape painting into the contemporary era.
Abstraction provides the foundation for Guerin's approach to landscape; ever seeking the abstract in nature and the distortion and unique vision that a camera can provide in translating an image to a flat surface. Personal observation and time spent in a place also provides insight into new ways to depict familiar places, It took seven years visiting Yellowstone National Park and hundreds of photographs before Guerin executed his first paintings of the features there. Similarly it took many visits to places of interest before the right perspective of the place was revealed.
Unlike other series of Guerin's landscapes, the Wyoming Suite is comprised of single canvases that rely on distortion and framing to achieve their unique perspectives.
Acrylic on canvas, 60”x60”
Acrylic on canvas, 60”x60”
Acrylic on canvas, 60”x60”
Acrylic on canvas, 40”x60”
Watercolor painting, 22”x30”
Acrylic on canvas. 48”x48”
Acrylic on canvas, 32”x32”
Acrylic on canvas, 32”x32”
Acrylic on canvas, 32”x32”
Acrylic on canvas, 32”x32”
Acrylic on canvas, 32”x32”
