Gail Armstrong
Puddingstone
Puddingstone
watercolor
30" x 24"
2008
30" x 24"
2008
May 23 through June 11, 2010
Gail Armstrong and Craig Masten: Opposites Attract
Artists’ statementGail Armstrong and Craig Masten: Opposites Attract
Opposites Attract: A joint show of recent work by Gail Armstrong and Craig Masten
There’s a saying in the world of dating that opposites attract. For two artists to have met and married seems, on the other hand, a juxtaposition of similar interests. Craig Masten readily admits he spent half of his adult life seeking to meet women who could share—or suffer—his love of painting every chance he got. And Gail Armstrong, his wife, is not shy to say she feels happy she finally met a man who can appreciate her lifelong career as a teacher and practitioner of art.
Nevertheless, you don’t necessarily want your partner attracted to exactly the same things as yourself. How boring to have someone say more or less what you say, or do precisely what you do, who wants your favorite last slice of cake in the refrigerator, or takes your favorite bon-bon from the assorted chocolates box. It would be like looking in a mirror, and narcissists aside—though there are admittedly quite a few in the art world—who wants to look at oneself all the time.
Vivé la difference, as the French would say—and the French certainly know something about love and art. So it is with Gail and Craig, a married couple who, art-wise, exemplify that wonderful Gallic proposition. Whether outdoors or in his studio Craig likes to work alla prima, quickly, often finishing one or more drawings, watercolors or paintings in a single session. Gail loves plein air painting just as much, but enjoys the process of changing, layering, refining a single work over a span of time, often finishing a painting in her studio. Gail is a colorist, able to see a rainbow of hues, even out of mist or rain. Craig looks at the same scene and sees a perhaps no less evocative, but distinctly Payne’s gray kind of day. Gail, RISD educated, is a born teacher who has inspired love of creating art in people from grade school, high school, college, and now with adults at the Providence Art Club. Craig is self-taught. He learned from attending professional art workshops, and drawing and painting on his own.
When Craig and Gail contemplate a landscape, they see entirely different paintings to do, and often find themselves facing in opposite directions. Taking photographs for future reference, they were forever grabbing the camera out of from one another’s hands until they became a two-camera family. The ways this married artist couple creates wonderful art is the subject of this show. Opposites not only attract, their singular painting styles prevent competition between the two of them. Their work is appealingly unlike, and equally engaging. What more could anyone ask. We hope you enjoy the show.