Sam Thurston: Paintings, Pots and Sculpture
The Front, 6 Barre St., Montpelier
July 2 - August 1, 2021, Opening Reception July 2, 4-7pm.
Artist Talk Thursday, July 22, 7pm in the gallery and via zoom

Sam Thurston's work communicates an interest in contrasted flatness and architectural space. Using various media (oil paint, wood, ceramics) and working in both two and three dimensions, he explores many traditional themes and motifs such as the figure, landscape, and still life. He often paints directly from life and sometimes works from his imagination. Some scenes reference poems, creating a narrative sensibility without revealing the whole story to the viewer.

Thurston is interested in architectural space, and the tension between the flatness of a drawing and the idea of volume comes through in his pottery – much of which uses blocky, angular forms glazed with drawn and painted images. By contrast, his sculptural figures use mass and dimensionality to full effect. In playing between flatness and dimensionality, Thurston's expressions almost seem to live in an earlier era, hearkening to iconic work of the 1920s and 30s.

The opening reception will be July 2, 4-7pm, and the show runs through August 1st, with an artist talk July 22; see thefrontvt.com for additional details.

Dec 21, 2024, 7:30 PM

Dec 22, 2024, 9:30 AM

Dec 26, 2024, 6 to 9 PM