From exhibitions

A Garden of Stories at Robert Lange Studios

I have the pleasure of participating in the 20th anniversary exhibition at Robert Lange Studios in Charleston, South Carolina. The exhibition will be on display all of November 2024.

Over the years, I have sent many paintings to inspiring group exhibitions curated by the gallery’s crew. I was happy to be asked to participate again in this milestone show.

My wife and I are increasingly interested in tending to our garden, so I created this to celebrate what I see as an increasing hobby for our future. The books featured are Victorian-era garden books.

Garden of Stories / 24 x 24 inches / oil on canvas / 2021 / framed

Good Society

My family took the dogs for a walk, and when we rounded the corner to another block, I spotted this shabby old chair on a driveway with a sign saying “FREE.” I knew I could make it work in a painting or two the second I saw it. So, I told my family to go on without me as I lugged the old chair back home.

Good Society No.1 / 36 x 24 inches / oil on canvas / on the easel / 2024

I set it up in my studio and took out several antique books. And three of them were just given to me by my brother-in-law. A set of three volumes titled “Good Society.” I like that these two paintings are comprised of found and given objects.

Good Society No.2 / 36 x 24 inches / oil on canvas / on the easel / 2024

The Billis Williams Gallery will exhibit these two new paintings at the upcoming Seattle Art Fair, which will run from July 25 to 28.

A Quick Trip to Los Angeles

Billis Williams Gallery / Los Angeles / February 24, 2024
Seven Clocks / 36 x 30 inches / oil on canvas / 2023

I have returned from a whirlwind trip to Los Angeles to attend the opening reception of my current solo exhibition at the Billis Williams Gallery.

I went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where I saw an exhibition called “The World Made Wonderous,” showcasing 17th-century Dutch collections, including many paintings from which I draw direct influence. I won’t get too nerdy here, but I was entirely in my element and wandered through the gallery twice to absorb as much as possible.

Then, it was off to the gallery for the reception, where I met and talked with artists, collectors, and curious gallerygoers. The conversations I have during the receptions are always so encouraging. The best part is connecting with Tressa Williams, principal director of the gallery, who has shown my work for thirteen years. The key to any artist’s success is having a team of enthusiastic people who share your work with the world — that is precisely what Tressa does.

Recent Clock Paintings

These two pieces will be part of my upcoming exhibition in Los Angeles at the Billis Williams Gallery, opening on February 24th.

My last exhibition in New York involved many large paintings, so this time around, I decided to work on a slightly smaller group of canvases.

Three Clocks & Pelican Classics / 18 x 36 inches / oil on canvas / 2024 / on the easel

Also, the black. Let’s talk about it. Years and years ago, I regularly set my work on deep black ground. I gradually phased that out and worked exclusively on white — or near-white grounds. In the past few years, I have done smaller paintings in black; it revealed my subject in a fresh and new way. So, above is the first of a slightly larger painting of what will become a new direction for my work.

Below, we have a neutral grey approach. Another way to make the subjects pop right off of the canvas.

Six Clocks – Folk Tales and Fables / 18 x 36 inches / oil on canvas / 2024 / on the easel

Upcoming Los Angeles Exhibition

At the end of February, we will see the opening of an exhibition of my latest paintings in Los Angeles at the Billis Williams Gallery. I have been working on tiny details for months now.

Memory: Facts and Fallacies No.2 paintig by Christopher Stott
Memory: Facts and Fallacies No.2 / 16 x 20 inches / oil on canvas / 2024 / on the easel

The subjects will be familiar to anyone who has seen my work before. Perhaps this time, you will catch new groupings of subjects with more contrast and depth in the lighting.

Memory: Facts and Fallacies No.3 painting by Christopher Stott
Memory: Facts and Fallacies No.3 / 18 x 24 inches / oil on canvas / 2024 / on the easel

In a word, the theme of this body of work would be Memory.

I will share more of the new paintings in the coming weeks.

Florida Art Fair

New work has just arrived in Miami for the upcoming art fair season. I sent two new bubble gum paintings to be shown with the George Billis Gallery. The Red Dot Fair runs from December 6–10.

Gumball Machine & Red Trunk No.1 / 36 x 24 inches / oil on canvas

Who doesn’t love a big colourful bubblegum machine?

Gumball Machine & Red Trunk No.2 / 36 x 24 inches / oil on canvas

And so again, I have entered the quiet, busy painting phase as I work toward an upcoming exhibition in Los Angeles for late February 2024.

Off to New York City

Everything is framed and shipped to the George Billis Gallery. As I write this, many paintings are in transit, somewhere in the middle of the continent and scheduled to arrive at the gallery in New York on Monday morning.

When the paintings are in transit, I suffer from mild anxiety. It has happened a few times when the heavy-duty packaging has arrived damaged, and I dread to think of how it happens. But 9 times out of 10, everything goes as expected.

The show goes up on the gallery walls on October 3, and the reception is on Thursday, October 5, from 6pm – 8pm.

1926 Royal P Typewriter with Pencil & Black Telephone Receiver / framed

The Key Series

I just completed a series of three paintings for my upcoming exhibition in New York City. Three birds-eye view typewriters.

1928 Underwood Portable Standard Typewriter with Three Pencils / 24 x 36 inches / oil on canvas / 2023

I love painting the mechanical components of the machines.

1964 Olivetti-Underwood Lettera 32 Typewriter with Pencil & Book / 24 x 36 inches / oil on canvas / 2023

There will always be something charming and delightful in typewriters. Each piece is 2 feet tall and three feet wide. The typewriters are all depicted as life-size. My goal with these paintings is to have a viewer almost get a sense of being able to touch and use the typewriters.

1926 Royal P Typewriter with Pencil / 24 x 36 inches / oil on canvas / 2023

When I start each painting, it never fails that I end up slightly overwhelmed at the number of keys I’ve locked myself into painting. I once told someone that my ability to sit quietly and do something as tedious as painting 150 tiny circles and squares is probably the key to why I can paint as much as I do.

New Work for New York

I have been working in the studio every day for the past three months. Well, I did take four days off to visit with family, but I made up for lost time by working in the evenings because I have an upcoming exhibition in New York City with the George Billis Gallery. The show goes up on October 3, and I have just sent the first batch off to the framers. I’m down to the wire finishing up the last few pieces before I can officially relax and come up for air.

In a few weeks, I’ll share the new paintings. This one here won’t be part of the show. It’s already on its way to a collector in New Jersey, as it was sold before it even went to the gallery.

Three Gumball Machines / 40 x 30 inches / oil on canvas / 2023

Two Group Exhibitions

I am participating in two group exhibitions this month — the first up is with the George Billis Gallery, a show featuring gallery artists in Manhattan. My contribution is shown here in the gallery window.

1957 Royal Quiet De Luxe / 30 x 30 inches / oil on canvas / gallery window in Manhattan

And quickly followed by this exhibition is the same typewriter composed face-in instead of birds-eye with the Robert Lange Studios in Charleston, North Carolina.

1957 Royal Quiet De Luxe & Pencils / 24 x 36 inches / oil on canvas / on the easel
Study for 1957 Royal Quiet De Luxe & Pencils / 9 x 12 inches / oil on canvas / on the easel

This invitational exhibition features study paintings shown alongside the fully realized larger version. The Robert Lange Studios always have interesting ideas for exhibitions.