I went to the Painting Now exhibit at the Ann Arbor Art Center last week mostly to see work by Toledo area artist Tim Gaewsky, whose paintings I like. But I got way, way more than I bargained for.  The show, in the second floor gallery at 117 W. Liberty St. in Ann Arbor is a knockout— a rich, kaleidoscopic cornucopia of wildly divergent painting styles, subjects and approaches that makes it a feast for the eye and mind.

Notes on the exhibit state that  “Painting in 2015 is characterized by its inclusiveness of genres, styles, aesthetics, concepts, materials, and processes. There is no single direction, but multiple vectors of highly energetic artistic expression. The result is a continuing flowering of independent, eclectic, and significant art works that characterize the American art scene.”

The exhibit lives up to this description in every way imaginable.  Juried by Peter Williams (http://goo.gl/b8FfXo), no painterly stone is left un-turned by  these accomplished artists, chosen from over 400 entries.  Figurative work appeared to be slightly favored, probably reflecting the available pool of Midwestern talent.

I’ve included a few of the paintings I like below, but these selections are very far from exhausting the pleasures, both intellectual and visual, of this exhibit.

This is the last week of Painting Now 2015, but if you make the time to see it you will be richly rewarded for your effort.  For a review by Sally Wright Day in the Ann Arbor Observer go to: http://www.annarborartcenter.org/art-now-exhibition-review-from-ann-arbor-observer/

For gallery schedule:  http://www.annarborartcenter.org/art-now-series-painting-2015/