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The new one man show at Graham Gallery is called “Just Looking” and it is a must see event that you need to schedule soon. (It opened March 22nd and closes April 10th) The artist, Michael Neary is relatively new to Hastings. He moved here from Indiana last summer and quickly evolved as one of the premier oil painters in the area. His training includes the Kansas City Art Institute and a MFA from Indiana University in Bloomington. Michael taught Art History and Art Appreciation for a number of years, before becoming a full time painter.

To be a successful painter you must address a number of problems and “work out” successful solutions. In this regard, Michael is a painter’s painter. His solutions are not over worked, his brush strokes are precise and he captures light in a signature way. Speaking as a painter, we could all learn a great deal from the way he approaches his subjects and the results he achieves. Three of the paintings in the show were painted en plein air, in the open air. You may have seen Michael camped out around town as he worked on his cityscapes. You have to see Michael’s view of the crossing at 2nd and Elm. Karnes and Runza have been forever immortalized. If you have never watched someone paint on location, then I urge you to look over Michael’s shoulder when you get the chance. You realize that his experience level allows him to put down paint with confidence, using what seems to be a minimum amount of effort. Besides being a great painter, he is also very friendly and easy to know.

The still life paintings in the show are a feast for the eye, as well as the mind. They use the vanitas theme of still life painting that found its genesis in Northern European works in the 16th and 17th century. The word vanitas in Latin, meaning “emptiness” and loosely translated to mean our earthly life is transient and the trivial pleasures of life are abruptly wiped out by death. So the message is, we shouldn’t get too carried away with ourselves during our earthly time.

The vanitas genre is a riddle with a singular message. Using this concept, Michael choreographs his compositions with cerebral intentions to challenge your intellect. You will see some common vanitas symbols such as rotting fruit (aging or decay) watches, clocks and hour glasses (brevity of life), musical instruments (ephemeral nature of life), flowers and butterflies are also used in this regard. A peeled lemon is used to say, “like life, it can be attractive to look at, but bitter or sour to the taste”.

There is more symbolism throughout Michael’s work, some of his own invention and others that can be found in the 16th century work that made vanitas popular. The religious nature of this painting style can find a connection to the book of Ecclesiastes 1:2 “Vanity of Vanities, all is vanity” and in the gospel of Matthew 6:18-21. Both are often referred to when discussing the vanitas message. The vanitas style is presented in the guise of a still life and embeds a variety of nuances that require an analysis of the layers of meaning.

I hope I haven’t gotten too far into the weeds so you think you need an art history degree to enjoy the show. Trust me, you don’t. Come and enjoy the cityscapes that have a way of drawing you in. Then turn 180 degrees and see still life paintings that make you think. No matter where you stand, you’ll be “Just Looking” at a great show.

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About the author: Jerry Daniels

Jeremy Daniels graduated from McCook Sr. High in 1959. He received a BA in Fine Arts from Hastings College in 1963. After almost six years in the military, he worked for Dutton-Lainson Co. in Hastings for 44 years. He was a Vice President and Advertising Manager for the firm. His artworks include most painting media, as well as sculpture. His studio is in Hastings and he can be contacted at jldan@charter.net.