For
over twenty years, George Stern Fine Arts has
been specializing in American Impressionist
art. During that time, our emphasis has been
on the
Early California “Plein Air” painters
of the period between 1890 to 1940. Living in
Southern California one is easily overwhelmed
by our magnificent landscape, purple mountains,
verdant valleys, glistening coastlines, special
to our area because of our unique sunlight. It
is this imagery that is today’s link to
the artists of the past. The emotions called
forth by the grandeur of California’s landscape
are as inspirational to today’s artists
as they were to the Early Impressionist. For
us, dealing in this period of art is a labor
of love.
In all the years that we have featured Early
California painters, we have never, until now,
been so impressed with a contemporary artist
as we are with John Comer.
George Stern Fine Arts is proud to present an exhibition of John Comer’s
paintings as our very first exhibition of works by a contemporary artist.
We found John Comer’s
work to have the elements and the spirit of
the Early California
artist. His panoramas of Santa Monica and Santa
Barbara capture that wonderful Southern California
light. At different times of the day, that special
light changes the character of the landscape.
One can really see that John Comer is moved by
Southern California in the same way his brethren
artists were moved at the turn of the century.
Unlike the Early California
painters and many of the contemporary mimics
of the early group,
John Comer is a California Impressionist of
today. He has taken that early spirit and integrated
it with scenes of modern California to create
a fresh and exciting vision of what Southern
California is today. He enables us to see beauty
in what we often take for granted. A highway
running along the coast becomes an artery of
life sinuously traveling in harmony with undulating
hills. The changes made by progress to nature
become part of nature’s beauty. No matter
what man has done to the land, the power of nature’s
beauty eventually permeates these changes. John
Comer’s creative eye brings us closer
to this spirit. After experiencing this exhibit
we will never again see this Southern California
environment without being aware of the beauty
we so often ignore.
We wish to extend our
thanks to Mr. Greg Young, whose enthusiasm
for John Comer’s work
equals ours. Without his tireless efforts, this
exhibit would never have taken place. It was
Mr. Young who introduced us to John Comer’s
work; and for this we are eternally grateful.
George Stern
