Echoes of America: One-man show for Jeffrey Neumann

One-man show and artist-in-residency are on view through October 17. There is no definitive impression of exactly what it is that comprises the “American Experience”. This is a very large country geographically with many distinct regions of varied cultures. However, when you see something that is quintessentially “American” you know it. Jeff has managed to find that touchstone in his subject matter and we are fortunate enough to have it manifest in his paintings. All of the commonplace corners that populate his work are almost a shared type of consciousness. We all understand as Americans the freedom of the road and our peculiar obsession with the unfettered restraints of the highway. This mythology connects us as surely as the asphalt ribbons that crisscross our country. Jeff taps into the nostalgia we feel about all of these ubiquitous roadside attractions. That deja vu of seeing someplace you’re fairly sure you’ve never been hanging in a painting on the wall. An echo of some sort, a shared experience that unites us as a society that values individual independence that is symbolized in the autonomy of movement to sites and destinations unknown (and then known by experience). The unique ability to lose and find one’s self on the open road…