Painter Nathan Miner in Residence at Montserrat College of Art this Summer

BEVERLY, Mass. - June 4, 2014 - PRLog -- This summer Boston-based artist Nathan Miner will be artist-in-residence on the Montserrat campus for a major solo-exhibition: The Long Now. Over the course of two months, from June 19th to August 14th, Miner will use the main gallery as his studio, creating two new large experimental paintings and exhibiting five previously completed large-scale works. The public is invited to follow Miner’s progress as he creates his new works during open studio hours, every Tuesday thru Thursday from 10-4pm. The artist will also participate in a weekly artist talk, Thursdays at 4:30pm.

Leonie Bradbury, Director and Curator of Montserrat Galleries, is looking forward to revealing the studio process within the gallery context as part of this summer’s residency. During this two month period, visitors will witness Miner’s new works in evolution through his generative process. His practice combines the media and strategies of traditional drawing and technical drafting, painting, printmaking, photography and digital manipulation. Beginning by working on top of digital prints with pencil, watercolor and gouache, the artist grows his compositions through iterations, feeding these small works in and out of the computer with digital scans and printers. Many generations of small works are made in this way and digital interactions between them are forged before they are brought together in a single, multi-layered Photoshop file creating a large-scale composition.

At some point he scans this mixed media composition into the computer again and the process continues. The individually printed panels are adhered to a metal substructure and joined together to form works at a mural-scale. The viewer is engulfed not only by a large canvas, but a terrain that compounds the history of Miner’s decision making.  As a result viewers will shift from the role of observer to that of active participant, allowing them to enter the constructed landscapes that echo our reality.

Miner’s work is concerned with subjective studies of time, materials and sensory properties, known as phenomenological experience.  At the moment, digital interconnectedness has radically shifted how the world is viewed. Miner’s work counteracts the fast pace of contemporary life necessitating slower optical engagement. The artist’s process supports the idea of slowing down and making decisions that reflect and respond to careful observation.

In the end each layer is a deliberate visual decision. Bradbury describes the compositions as, “reminiscent of the many layers of rock, sand, and sediment that form the geological layers of the earth’s surface.” Miner’s work connects his practice to the cultural study of understanding landscapes from a sensory perspective. He aligns the abstruse digital landscape with earth toned colors so that the two communicate a combined language. Bradbury says, “Miner’s in depth investigation of the themes of time and perception is sophisticated and philosophical. We are excited to be able to share it with our audiences.”

The Long Now: Nathan Miner will be at Montserrat Gallery, 23 Essex Street (Hardie Building, First Floor) from June 19 - August 14, 2014. Summer Gallery Hours: Mon-Wed, 10am-5pm, Thu 10am-7pm, Fri 10am-1pm. Open Studio Hours: Tuesday- Thursday, 10 am- 4pm. Learn more at www.montserrat.edu/galleriesor contact gallery@montserrat.edu