The Letter

August. Oil on canvas. 16 x 10 in., 2009 Paul DuSold.

The Studio of Ben Solowey is pleased to announce a new exhibition, EYE TO EYE: Paintings and Drawings by Paul DuSold & Ben Solowey, featuring a collection of artwork by award-winning painter Paul DuSold and works by Ben Solowey (1900 – 1978) selected by DuSold. This is first show at the Solowey Studio of a contemporary artist in sixteen years. The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday June 5th at the Solowey Studio in Bedminster, PA with a reception from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The installation will continue Saturdays and Sundays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., through Sunday, June 27, 2010.

“Paul DuSold carries the drama of the Spanish painters and the subtlety of the Venetian masters in his brush,” says David Leopold, Director of The Studio of Ben Solowey. “His palette is lush but not flamboyant. He describes his work as ‘atmospheric realism,’ and his canvases evoke a beautiful luxury of everyday objects. He favors still lifes, portraits, and figure compositions, and we will present a selection of these paintings and drawings in our new show.

“In our Main Studio, we’ve asked Paul to chose works by Ben Solowey from our collection. Our goal is to see Ben’s work through the eyes of another artist, rather than a historian or curator, as well as to showcase the work of a painter who shares with Ben Solowey a love of beauty, color, light, and form.”

On Saturday June 19th, DuSold will give a portrait demonstration in the Main Studio at 2:30 pm. Visitors are invited to witness history as DuSold paints the first work painted in the studio since Solowey’s death in 1978. RSVP

“Like Ben, Paul is one of the few accomplished portrait painters who not only can capture the personality of his sitter,” explains Leopold, “but also speak intelligently to an audience while doing it. We are thrilled to have Paul be the first painter to use Ben’s remarkable studio.” The inviting studio, and the 34 acre property it sits on, were created and landscaped by Solowey after he left New York in 1942. The Studio has been featured in Architectural Digest, Pennsylvania Heritage, The Discerning Traveler, and Bucks County Town and Country Living.

“In honor of our opening on June 5th we will continue our tradition of serving homemade refreshments in the Solowey home, “ says Leopold. “The two hundred-year old farm house was restored by Ben and is filled with museum quality furniture handcrafted by him. This will probably be the only time we open the house this year, so this truly is a special event.”