Chris Bell

Website: chrisbellstudio.com
Medium: Oil on canvas

Artist Statement:

“Art and history have always had a powerful hold on me. I consider the two to be intertwined and a strong component of my identity. When my ancestors settled in the Appalachian Mountains, they were looking for a land of their own. As they carved out an existence in the wilderness, their isolation and self-determination gave birth to an intimacy with the rugged hills.

While their relationship with the land was a physical one, tempered by the plow and ax, I look to communicate my own connection with the landscape through painting. I find inspiration in the solidity of the rocks and mountains, the movement of cascading water, the texture of foliage, and the way the light interacts with these elements. It is my goal to compose paintings that invite the viewer to share in my perspective and envelope them with a sense of place.”