City of Greeley News

Bret Bertholf, a Denver-based artist will present his exhibit “METAL: Recent Paintings by Bret Bertholf” at the Tointon Gallery, 651 10^th Ave. The exhibit will be on display Friday, September 6 through Saturday, October 12. “METAL” presents new work that reflects Bertholf’s study of Renaissance and Baroque European art, his embrace of American Surrealism and his interest in presenting and exorcising fear.

Concerned with the ways in which society copes with everyday life, Bertholf presents images of darkness and skulls connected to hands in order to explore the society’s connection to death, the past and society’s beliefs. The artist intends to challenge the viewer in showing darkness on the canvas. The uncomfortableness a viewer may feel when looking at his body of work allows the viewer to face their fears head on and truly consider the meaning of what our mind presents us in darkness.

Bertholf graduated with a B.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design and is currently a commercial film/video director/producer in Denver. The artist paints with acrylic paint on canvas, preferring the quick-drying water-based medium to accommodate overnight changes. This method has been particularly useful on the abstract foreground he creates before overlaying images. The tension created between the chance-based gestural painting and his controlled meditative technique creates pieces that reflect both the unconscious and the conscious mind of the artist.

An artist talk and reception is scheduled for First Friday, on Friday, October 4 from 5 to 7 p.m. and for the Closing Reception, on Friday, October 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. Admission to the gallery is free and visitors may view the exhibit when the Tointon Gallery is open. The Gallery is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and during many of the performances at the Union Colony Civic Center.

The Tointon Gallery presents over ten shows annually to provide enjoyment, education and to encourage dialogue around art.  To learn more about Greeley’s public gallery, please visit greeleyart.com or contact Kari Tamblyn at kari.tamblyn@greeleygov.com.