“Painting is my divine connection with nature” – Lynn Dunbar Bayus
"Twisting the Night Away" by Lynn Dunbar Bayus, Oil canvas paint, 20x60in, $3500
Lynn Dunbar Bayus is not alone in realizing a spiritual relationship with nature through painting. Idyllic days of painting free from the elements is a rare occasion, with wind rain, dust - temperatures too far down or to far up on the barometer. The plein air artist works quickly against the vagaries of the constantly changing light, hoping to capture the ephemeral experience of one moment in one place. A sense of place is the inarguable gold standard of any landscape artist, and finding a fresh point-of-view is the challenge.
One way in which Bayus has done that is to work from aerial photographs of the landscape along the Ohio River. Although there is charm and abundant color of her closer views of gardens, racehorses, and other subjects, there is another kind of visual power in the aerial compositions, more expansive and philosophical in their attitude. They allow a perspective nearly devoid of the footprint of humanity, one in which time and the elements played a crucial role in shaping the relationship between land, water, and sky. It is also an opportunity for us to consider for a moment the primeval aspect of the landscape and the humility we should feel in the grand scheme of things.
"Crested Butte Barn and Cows" by Lynn Dunbar Bayus, Oil on canvas, 8x10in, POR
The more common view of buildings and livestock that we see in “Crested Butte Barn and Cows” is prosaic, falling somewhere between the majesty of the river seen from above and the grounded, eye-level scenes of horse and jockey, or visitors to the racetrack. The former captures a scene that might be from any point in the last 200 years, while latter is of a fleeting moment in the now, tied to fashion and special occasion.
In September Bayus will be part of two exhibits with Louisville Visual Art. September 23 through November 4 Louisville Artists: Carry On will be on view at the LVA building, with a reception Sunday, September 23 from 3-5pm. Then the LVA Juried Exhibit in the 2018 Portland Art & Heritage Fair will take place on Saturday, September 29. The exhibit will be available for viewing at the Marine Hospital from 11am-5pm. Jury prizes will be awarded at 2:00pm.
Bayus will be once again be participating in Open Studio Weekend (OSW), presented by LVA and the University of Louisville's Hite Institute. For 2018, OSW is scheduled for November 3 & 4 from 12-6pm. You can purchase tickets here.
Bayus’ artwork is featured on the 2018 Kentucky Derby and Oaks Posters available at Churchill Downs, and will be featured on the 2018 Holiday Edition of Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Other awards include Award of Merit 2016, Owensboro Museum of Art, Science and History, Grand Prize Portland Heritage Arts Show 2014, honorable mention at the Salon International 2013, the 2012 Purchase Prize from the Owensboro Museum of Art, and the 2011 Grand Prize from the Louisville Women's Club, and work is featured in the September 2017 Plein Air Magazine, and in American Art Review.
Memberships include Signature Status of American Impressionist Society, Indiana Plein Air Painters and Painters of the Bluegrass.
Hometown: Gary, Indiana
Education: MSSW, University of Louisville; BA in Visual Design, Purdue University
Website: http://dunbar-art.com/
Gallery Representative: Point Gallery, Prospect, Kentucky; Kentucky Gallery, Louisville, Kentucky
Scroll down for more images
"Belle and Lincoln Bridge" by Lynn Dunbar Bayus, Oil canvas paint, 18x18in, $1200
"Vine Street after Rain" by Lynn Dunbar Bayus, Oil on canvas, 5x7in, 2018, POR
"Black Eyed Susans" by Lynn Dunbar Bayus, Oil on canvas, 12x24in, 2018, POR
Written by Keith Waits. Entire contents copyright © 2018 Louisville Visual Art. All rights reserved. In addition to his work at the LVA, Keith is also the Managing Editor of a website, Arts-Louisville.com, which covers local visual arts, theatre, and music in Louisville.
