William Berra: Inspired by Nature
Nedra Matteucci Galleries' 2017 exhibition will open with an artist reception from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 24; the work will remain on display through July 22.
Artist William Berra paints sunlit Italian landscapes, rustic New Mexican scenes, figures, and churches – all with an impressionistic touch. He enjoys painting on location, and he begins by visualizing the composition. As the work evolves, it becomes a composite of visual stimuli, memory and experience.
"To keep my mind and my approach fresh I mix it up,” says Berra. “Sometimes painting figures, on other occasions landscapes, while sometimes turning to still life. If I look out to my garden, a painting of a bird on a sunflower skeleton is born. If I'm traveling, my subject lies out the window. And if my wife happens to stand in silhouette in an arched doorway, that image will inspire a composition."
Berra’s work emphasizes light and color, harmony and spontaneity, and each piece conveys emotion through an inviting sense of ambiguity. The expressionistic mood of Berra's work strikes each viewer differently, offering a sense of discovery and affinity.
For several decades, Berra has been an exciting artist to follow. The collection of recent paintings will include an expanded range of subject matter, demonstrating Berra's inclination to explore beyond the boundaries of his work.
Berra's paintings have been exhibited extensively in the United States and are represented in private and public collections around the world, including those in Taiwan, Mali, Portugal, and Spain.
William Berra, Study for Tails, oil on metal leaf, 6" x 16"
William Berra, Curious Finches, oil on panel, 60" x 40"
