Eyes on Nature, the Art of Sean Cavanaugh brings together a selection of works highlighting Cavanaugh’s watercolor, oil, and gouache depictions of trees, coral reefs and other naturalia. Inspired by late nineteenth century American landscape painters, Cavanaugh has spent his artistic career examining the world around him through a painterly lens that was informed by his undergraduate experience at Pitzer college (Claremont, California) in art and environmental studies. His keen eye for detail redefines the landscape, developing a photo-realistic space where unexpected elements such as tree bark or light diffused in seawater take center stage. Environmental consciousness pervades his practice.
From panoramic to macroscopic, Cavanaugh masterfully translates images into works of art, accentuating the often overlooked in painstaking detail. His technical and experimental approaches to watercolor, gouache, and oil painting fuel this effort, which begins with personal photos. The work highlights unexpected views and the individual personalities of flora as he encounters them and then reframes in unexpected ways. Trees’ individualities are revealed through his observant and refined lens, elevating the surface textures in works of art resplendent with lichen, peaks and valleys of bark, and the undeniable push/pull of shadow. Delicate spiderwebs dance among the needles of a conifer, reflections transform a puddle into an otherworldly portal, and the quiet lull of the ocean springs to life in Cavanaugh’s reef studies.
Thomas J. Loughman
Director, Morris Museum
