ARTIST STATEMENT

My paintings of landscapes have become far removed from any traditional definition of that genre; yet they still maintain a slender but sustaining thread to the concept of representational image. I paint 'arial' views of farmland - the furrows of plowed fields are rendered as transparent textures. My fascination with the dark, fertile earth of cultivated fields led to loose interpretations of the landscapes; this manipulation into near abstraction was achieved through unorthodox perspectives, such as clouds and fields occupying the same plane and geometric shapes built from layers of oil washes. The determined physicality of the color fields is accentuated by a collage element, so that the terrain is rendered with a dash of topical relief that introduces a new element of addition to my vocabulary. The blurring of naturalism and non-representationalism in the imagery obscures the intention enough to create some mystery in a subject usually thought of as straightforward (the landscape), and hopefully seduces my viewers into completing the narrative for themselves.

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ARTIST BIO

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There are only a handful of local artists whom one can say 'they need no Introduction', but as most of you know, Billy Hertz needs no introduction.
A long-time gallery owner and prolific professional artist, Billy Hertz has had a major impact on Louisville's vibrant art scene. He played a pioneering role in transforming East Market Street from abandoned warehouses to the place to be for Friday gallery openings. And others followed his lead. Billy and his partner, Tom Schnepf, introduced us to many of the iconic local artists who were, and still are, the models for the creativity, originality, and courage and beauty that we all enjoy today. Continuing his fascination with landscapes, these new semi-abstract landscapes have a pared-down form and composition, allowing the balance of abstract and representational to exist with tension. Focusing on the relationship between land and water in natural harmony, Hertz displays the earth from a bird’s eye view, creating beautiful aerial vistas.