Second Annual Jackson Hole Art Invitational - 2021 ArtistsJune 3 - 13 | Artist Reception June 3, 1 - 7pmGallery Wild is pleased to once again welcome guest artists from around the country to the gallery to show their work, most of them for the first time in Jackson. Paintings by Nealy Riley, Leslie Duke, Kimberly Beck and photography by Kimerlee Curly and Bob Keefer will be featured. Bob Keefer"I’ve been fascinated by photography since I was 11 years old and found an old Brownie box camera in the closet at my parents’ house in Los Angeles. I still have the photos I took in those days, ordinary scenes from the living room and back yard, transformed by magic into black and white images.My main career was in newspapering — as a writer, not a photographer. After graduating from Harvard in 1975 with a bachelor’s degree in history of religion, I spent four decades as a newspaper reporter before retiring in 2013 to pursue landscape photography and independent writing. Much of that career involved writing about art and music, and in 2006 I was a fellow at the National Endowment for the Arts’ Journalism Institute for Theater and Musical Theater in Los Angeles.I’ve been making and selling hand-colored black and white landscape photos since 2002. I have shown my work at the Karin Clarke Gallery and the Jacobs Gallery in Eugene, at the Arts Center in Corvallis, and at the World Forestry Center and the Blue Sky Gallery in Portland.In my free time I am arts editor of Eugene Weekly, the alt weekly paper in Eugene. For three years I ran Eugene Art Talk, a subscription blog about the fine arts in and around Eugene. I am a past president of the Lane Arts Council. I live on 18 wooded acres outside Creswell, Oregon, with my wife, Lisa Strycker."Nealy RileyNealy May Riley is a contemporary wildlife painter. Her work frequently combines oil and gold or metal leafing harmonizing three-dimensional form and graphic patterns and shape. Nealy creates a balance of expression and realism capturing the spiritual essence of animals and placing them in an ethereal symbolic space.Nealy has a Master of Fine Art from the Savannah College of Art and Design. After a career in Graphic Design and teaching at the collegiate level, she and her family now live in Utah where she paints and enjoys the wildlife of the Mountain West.Leslie Duke"As an artist I am continually fascinated with everyday objects, especially those we consume. My work aims to amplify the beauty of seemingly simple subjects while exploring the emotional power of color. Each piece is meant to preserve a brief moment in time and leave the viewer with a greater sense of connection with the present moment."Leslie has a deep love for color and texture, as well as an enthusiasm for finding the intrinsic beauty in everyday subjects. With each painting she strives to instill a profound sense of mood through use of color and space.Leslie is particularly inspired by the masterful beauty of works by Sargent and Zorn; the evocative color fields of Rothko; and the intriguing compositions of illustrator Lisbeth Zwerger. Painting and drawing have always been part of Leslie’s identity. She was fortunate to have parents who saw her deep interest in art and paid for many art classes, including a formative weekly watercolor class by Harold “Pete” Peterson, a Salt Lake City artist and educator.Leslie went on to study Illustration at BYU and began her career as an illustrator in 2010, only to realize that her true passion was painting. After countless late nights, plenty of ugly paintings and a considerable amount of caffeine, she quit her day job and became a full-time painter.Leslie lives in Springville, UT with her musician husband, adorably independent toddler and two highly energetic dogs. Leslie loves spending time in her studio, binging on a good story, collecting trinkets, and enjoying time with her little family.Kimerlee CurylThe Hollywood dream moved her west from Minnesota, but it was the heart of a horse that changed everything. Having worked on both sides of the camera Kimerlee has the natural ability of capturing emotion. Delivering imagery that is described as unique, dramatic and evocative. Emphasizing graceful lines, rich textures and a view of the horse not done before. Since 2004 she has been capturing an intimate connection with the wild, leaving the viewer imagining their very breath on their face. Her style is her own in relation to the horse and has become increasingly recognizable. She has traveled the world, capturing the essence and spirit of stunning horses. Yet, the allure of raw, wild, untouched beauty, rugged terrain, harsh elements along with the challenge of finding wild horses and the patience for them to trust her, is the oxygen to her soul.Being mostly self taught, for many years Kimerlee's work was captured with inexpensive equipment and very limited resources, working many jobs to keep a horse in her life and film in her camera. Her love of the horse and perseverance for what she believes in, a desire to learn, share and educate through art and awareness has been a driving force for over 16 years now.The work reflects passion, purpose and is fused with environmental consciousness. Dedicated to the cause, Kimerlee's hope is to inspire others, not only to appreciate the beauty of these creatures, but to take an interest in helping preserve their place on this land. She is represented by one of the country's largest fine art publishers, prestigious galleries along with national, international and celebrity collectors. Her work has been used in numerous advertising campaigns and product branding. Most importantly, it has become a voice for those who don't have one...our remaining wild horses.Kimberly BeckAs an illustrator in the 80’s, she created bird-themed products for The Nature Company and other print companies that sold her work nationally. In 2008, she changed her medium from watercolor and colored pencil to oil, learning to paint from direct observation at The Palette & Chisel Academy of Art in Chicago.Her avian-themed paintings have been juried into the prestigious international Bird in Art exhibition at the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Museum of Art, Wausau, Wisconsin (2012-2016, 2018-20), selected for the museum’s National Tours, and are part of the Museum’s permanent collection. She is a signature member of Artists for Conservation, a member of the Society of Animal Artists and is an associate member with distinction of American Women Artists. Kimberly is a devoted bird-watcher and recently relocated her studio to the desert of Ivins, Utah from the diverse ecosystems near the Indiana Dunes National Park.About Kimberly's Artistic Process...Two years ago, I began adding gold and silver leaf elements and backgrounds to my oil paintings to elevate the stature of my subjects and add an element of reflective light to the surface of the painting. In some pieces I use the leaf conceptually to represent something symbolic, such as a road, a body of water, or the night sky. In others, such as a portrait, I use it as a background to create a reflective surface behind the animal. The process of applying the leaf creates “surprises” that result in unplanned, yet pleasant added texture and design. This is a nice contrast to my detailed representational painting style, and I have enjoyed letting the process unfold and surprise me.I spend a lot of time observing birds and other subjects in the field. From these experiences I develop the concepts for my paintings. I gather photos, sketches, and color information on my field trips and bring it back to the studio to prepare sketches that will become finished paintings. I am personally renewed daily by my experiences in nature. I hope you can feel my passion for the beautiful creatures with whom we share our world and that you are inspired to do what you can to protect their habitats and ensure their presence for generations to come.