Chartreuse Contemporary Art Space on historic Grand Avenue announces its July 2017 show, “The Great Escape,” with artist Rick Naimark.
Summer in Phoenix reminds us all that we all need to escape every once in awhile. Come escape to Chartreuse at 1301 Grand Avenue for the “The Great Escape,” which will run July 7-22, with an opening reception from 6-10 p.m. on First Friday, July 7.
“The Great Escape” features the artwork of Rick Naimark, downtown resident and emerging artist. Naimark’s colorful contemporary paintings are full of motion, texture, and shape, and are escapes in and of themselves. Naimark takes and deconstructs simple themes and shapes into abstractions to delight the eye and challenge the mind. Come enjoy his abstract landscapes and sometimes subtly ironic creations that are based on the natural environment, the urban landscape, and current events.
Using mostly acrylics, Naimark almost never sits down or touches a paintbrush, instead uses spatulas and other non-traditional methods of applying paint and other media. The goal: create complex character and illuminant blends of color embodying the intensity and complexity of Arizona, urban life in Phoenix, and our increasingly complex world.
Rick Naimark grew up in Oregon and has lived in Phoenix since 1986. He worked for the City of Phoenix for 29 years and served as Deputy City Manager until 2015. When not painting, he serves as an Associate Vice President at Arizona State University and volunteers on several nonprofit boards, including ArtLink, the Friends of Phoenix Public Art, and the Arizona Science Center. He and his wife, Dana, live in the Roosevelt Neighborhood and have two adult children, Jared and Nathan.
Downtown Voices Coalition 