RICHARD COLE, The Forest, The Forest, Jan 11-Mar 16, 2004, Lambert’s Gallery, Vancouver

by

RICHARD COLE

BRITISH COLUMBIA: The Forest, Jan 11-Mar 16, 2005 Lambert’s Gallery, Vancouver

By Beverly Cramp

There are several key themes in Vancouver painter Richard Cole’s oil landscapes. There is the forest floor, which Cole likes to get close to in order to produce what he calls his “frozen moments of a nature walk.” Trees also figure prominently. “My trees are forever moving,” says Cole. “I use soft focus by creating a soft background, a sort of resting period for the eye, juxtaposed by sharp details in the foreground. This creates a sense of movement.” Another theme is water and how it moves across rocks. And there are his popular big skies. Cole has done many studies in gray to depict Vancouver’s moody weather. “They are very much about the West Coast climate and the atmosphere of living here,” he says. “They are about appreciating those grays, not just a blanket of gray. My palette is extensive and full of colour. The number of grays I use gives depth and space within the work.”

Represented by: Lambert’s Gallery & Shop, Vancouver; Whistler Art Gallery, Whistler, BC; Canada House Gallery, Banff, AB .