Dianna Witte Gallery

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casey roberts: quiet light

SEPTEMBER 16TH - OCTOBER 8TH, 2022

Casey Roberts, Frog Pond, Cyanotype w/ gouache and collage, framed. 35” x 42”, 2022

We are pleased to present Quiet Light, a solo exhibition by Indianapolis-based artist, Casey Roberts. Roberts will be in the gallery on Saturday September 17th from 3-5PM. Full exhibition continues until October 8th.

Casey Roberts's paintings are dark, yet humorous. Animals play a leading role, and the work blends together to form a narrative. There's a moral of the story, one that hints at humans' relationship with nature with a knowing wink. In this way, the work is synonymous with a fairytale.

Roberts's way of creating a painting is precarious: the process is akin to printmaking, using chemicals and light opposed to carving. The paintings are built up of layers; Roberts stencils off portions and exposes the paper to light, repeating this process until the painting is complete. He often finishes the paintings with elements of watercolour or collage, and leaves evidence of the process--an integral part of the work--with the holes used to pin the paper to the wall framing the exterior. A wrong move late in the process renders the work void and Roberts is forced to start over. The high stakes of the creative process imbue the paintings with a tension that is opposite to the balanced calm of the composition, creating work ripe with complexity.

Roberts received his degree from the Herron School of Art and Design in Indianapolis, IN. In September of 2019 he exhibited a solo show at the Richard E. Peeler Art Center at Depauw University. In 2005 he received the Creative Renewal Arts Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis. His work is held in numerous collections, including the Indiana State Museum, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, the US Department of State, Eli Lilly, Indiana University and more. Roberts lives and works in Indianapolis, IN.

Casey Roberts, Faulty Memory, Cyanotype on paper, framed. 42” x 42”, 2022

Vase, Bronze Sculpture, 23” x 12”

Card Table, Bronze Sculpture, 21” x 12”

Casey Roberts, Morning Clouds with Beaver, Cyanotype on paper, framed. 35” x 42”, 2022

Casey Roberts, Morning Clouds with Black Bear, Cyanotype on paper, framed. 35” x 42”, 2022

Casey Roberts, Coordinate Efforts (Woodpeckers), Cyanotype on paper, framed. 30” x 30”, 2022

Casey Roberts, Tree Stump with Salamander, Cyanotype on paper with gouache, framed. 30” x 30”, 2022