BEMIDJI, Minn. (Sept. 13, 2011) — North Carolina-based abstractionist Dick Roberts will open a show of his paintings, ‘Forays into Abstraction,’ at Bemidji State University’s Talley Gallery.

Roberts’ show opens Tuesday, Sept. 20, and will run through Oct. 14.

‘Forays into Abstraction’ is a unique opportunity for the viewer to define their own observations and, as Roberts said in a statement, “The unavoidable urge to put a label on it.”

“The significance of a painting is determined by the quality of its creation… and not in the mere representation of physical objects,” Roberts said. “In painting, the only reality for me is the act of painting — the direct experience of applying paint to a canvas.

“When a musician stops playing, the song is over. The reality is the playing of the song,” Roberts said. “In my painting, it is the doing — the resulting painting is a record of the process.”

Roberts says the average viewer of a painting will not think about contrast, composition, tension, texture, scale or the juxtaposition of colors; they will attempt to associate the painting with a familiar image.

“Often, with abstract work, the values intrinsic with the process of making the painting are quite different from the values used by the viewer to identify with the painting,” Roberts said.

Located in room 212 of the Education Arts building on the campus of Bemidji State University, the Talley Gallery is barrier-free and open at no charge to the public. All activities in the Talley Gallery are supported by the University’s Student Activity Fee Allocation Committee and Bemidji State University’s Department of Visual Arts.

The Talley Gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Friday; and 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information, contact Talley Gallery Director Laura Goliaszewski at (218) 755-3708.

LINKS
• Talley Gallery
• Dick Roberts