Tuesday Editions: Chris Ballantyne

Untitled, Neighborhood (Overgrown)
8"x10" ($20) | 11"x14" ($50) | 16"x20" ($200)
and
Untitled, Tidal Bore (Surfer)
8"x10" ($20) | 11"x14" ($50) | 16"x20" ($200)
by
Chris Ballantyne

Tuesday greetings, collectors. I cannot tell a lie: I'm having a really lousy day! I say that knowing it'll get better, and isn't nearly as bad as it could be, but as it stands now, I am the proverbial little black cloud in a dress. (Technically, I'm in jeans and cowboy boots, but you know what I'm sayin'.) In light of my mood, it's unsurprising that my newsletter muse is making herself scarce at the moment. That said, the scowl on my face is softening as I contemplating today's lovely editions by painter Chris Ballantyne.

Untitled, Neighborhood (Overgrown) and Untitled, Tidal Bore (Surfer) evoke all kinds of warm, fuzzy feelings. As I said last night on Twitter, I started writing today's newsletter while standing on the beach on Sunday morning. I was out in Montauk, bundled up against the cold and strolling along the shoreline, with someone I adore. We were sipping coffee and looking forward to continuing our aimless meander through the less-explored byways of Long Island's East End, once we'd had our fill of the bracing ocean air. In other words, I was sublimely happy.

While watching a surfer elegantly traverse the gently cresting waves to make his way out past the break, I was reminded of Chris's paintings. Untitled, Tidal Bore (Surfer), came to mind first and most obviously, but I also found a kinship between the modest homes you'll find not far from Ditch Plains and those depicted in Untitled, Neighborhood (Overgrown). As I stood there making those correlations, I said aloud, "I love my job!" And I really, really do — it's awfully fun and fulfilling.

I discovered Chris's work at the Walker, where his paintings were included in that oft-mentioned-in-this-here-newsletter exhibition, Worlds Away. My happiness was similarly sublime when I was in Minneapolis for that show's opening, and so many wonderful relationships — not to mention 20x200 editions — trace their origins back to there. It's hard to stay grouchy when I think about all the great people I associate with that trip: Sarah McKenzie, Brian Ulrich, Paho Mann, Karolina Karlic, Tema Stauffer, Carrie Marill and Peter Haakon-Thompson, founder of The Art Shanty Project. (I'm grinning as I type, in fact! When's the last time you saw a black cloud do that?)

Phew, it's nice to be feeling better. Behold the restorative powers of The Art! I forecast a good mood for the rest of the week too. I'm looking forward to tomorrow night's opening reception for Christian Chaize's US debut exhibition, Praia Piquina. As collectors of his two gorgeous 20x200 editions already know, a sunny disposition comes naturally when contemplating his stunning seascapes.

Come see for yourself! Join us tomorrow night, from 6-8 p.m. at Jen Bekman Gallery. We're at 6 Spring Street, between Elizabeth + Bowery. And if you see a little ray of sunshine? That'll be me.

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