Monsoon Gallery
11 E. 3rd Street
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015

"The American Landscape"
Exhibition Dates
March 7 - through April 30

First Friday Receptions
March 7th- 7:00 - 10:00pm
April 4th- 7:00 - 10:00pm

A special two-month long exhibit at Bethlehem's Monsoon Gallery brings
together four painters whose diverse art and varied lives truly represent
"The American Landscape." With work from immigrants and native sons,
photo-realists and impressionists these four artists -- Melissa Bryant,
Adriano Farinella, Gary Kresge and Peter Krobath -- represent the vitality
and undying appeal the traditional landscape painting continues to inspire.

Melissa Bryant, who was born in the Philippines and most recently lived in Utah before moving to Pennsylvania, creates lush and luminous landscapes with impressionistic Monet-like touches and a bright palette. Titles like"Riotous Spring," "Reverie," "Purple Sky," and "Blue Radiance" do well to describe her "gregarious colors," but these original oil representations of winding streams, blooming meadows, and twinkling forests truly need to be seen to be appreciated.

Peter Krobath was also born overseas (Graz, Austria) but too found
inspiration in the American landscape. His amazing paintings are so finely rendered that the watercolors and oils are easiliy mistaken for photographs. Krobath has been honored with dozens of accolades and has captured the richness and diversity of landscapes from shore to shore, from farmhouse to stream, from rolling hills to rushing waterfalls.

Adriano Farinella, an artist-in-residence at Bethlehem's Banana Factory and graduate of Kutztown University, is well-known in the local art scene. He also spent time studying plein air painting in Italy, and continues to work outdoors. Farinella's gaze is often turned upwards. His landscapes capture clouds with such a delicate sensibility that they seem almost alive, each with a unique personality and vitality. Clouds are a source of meditation for Farinella, who writes, "They are at once the beginning of things and the end of things."

Gary Kresge, another local, draws his inspiration from the rural hideaways around his home in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The subjects for his oil paintings include the Pocono Mountains and the Delaware River. They are serene and calming works which feature fine brushwork and a deep appreciation for nature. His work is represented in many private and corporate collections.

Four artists from four unique backgrounds, each with their own take on the endlessly fascinating subject of "The American Landscape." All paintings from all four artists are for sale during normal gallery hours. There will also be two First Friday artist receptions (March 7 & April 4, 7pm - 10pm).