July 24 - August 21, 2021
From Valley House Gallery:
“I didn’t grow up with art, but I was always aware of Grant Wood’s painting American Gothic. This depiction of American life reminds me of my rural Southern Illinois upbringing. I find myself caught between two types of traditions—that of my roots and that of oil painting. My paintings are a way to reconcile my rural youth with my urban life working at the Dallas Museum of Art and how they intertwine to create a personal narrative. Compositional barriers such as fences and paper cutouts are intended to make the viewer feel like an outsider—shut out from the real narrative. I feel a similar sense of being shut out when I see the blank expressions in Grant Wood’s painting. Rural America is like a house with its shades drawn. I know there are things behind the shades, beyond the fences; sometimes it’s a snake, but snakes can mean all kinds of things, can’t they?“—Sean Cairns
ABOUT SEAN CAIRNS:
Sean Cairns (American, Born 1988) earned his BFA from Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design in 2011, and his MFA from Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 2014. Despite two art degrees, his education in painting is self-directed. Sean Cairns has lived in Dallas since 2014 and will move to London soon. We are pleased to present Sean Cairns’ first solo exhibition.
Stop by the gallery this week (10:00am-5:00pm) to preview the exhibition in person, and preview online at http://www.valleyhouse.com/thumbnails.asp?mode=page&idx=255 with more paintings to be added to the website soon.
Sean Cairns will give an Artist Talk on Saturday, July 31, at 11:00am. Space will be limited so reservations are required. Call 972-239-2441 or email [email protected] to reserve your place.
Reception: July 24, 2021 | 5–8 pm
Artist talk: July 31, 2021 | 11 am – 12 pm
Valley House Gallery & Sculpture Garden
6616 Spring Valley Road
Dallas, 75254 TX
(972) 239-2441
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