Neil Raitt’s paintings are compositions of endlessly repeated cabins, mountains, ponds, trees and other natural motifs. Exploring the idea of repetition itself as a form of abstraction, Raitt’s work addresses landscape painting and the accessibility of its figurative form. With gestures adopted from Bob Ross’ television program The Joy of Painting, Raitt utilizes identifiable imagery in his intricate patterns that suspend the atmospheric effect of landscape and its illusion of space, dispersing any sense of perspective. His labyrinthine patterning and ceaseless repetition suggest the imagery upon the canvas as a limitless flat patchwork that stretches into infinity. While Raitt’s work implies an accelerated machine-like production process, his work is borne of time-consuming and heavily labored oil painting. Raitt’s technical skill in painting modernizes the traditional landscape, deconstructing its figurative language with an approach that is neither wholly kitsch nor fully abstracted.
Staycation, April 7 – May 30, 2020
Misty Rock, September 9 – October 21, 2017
Happy Painting, April 18 – May 30, 2015
Neil Raitt
Education
Solo Exhibitions
Group Exhibitions
Collections
Prizes and Awards
Publications
Press
Neil Raitt’s paintings are compositions of endlessly repeated cabins, mountains, ponds, trees and other natural motifs. Exploring the idea of repetition itself as a form of abstraction, Raitt’s work addresses landscape painting and the accessibility of its figurative form. With gestures adopted from Bob Ross’ television program The Joy of Painting, Raitt utilizes identifiable imagery in his intricate patterns that suspend the atmospheric effect of landscape and its illusion of space, dispersing any sense of perspective. His labyrinthine patterning and ceaseless repetition suggest the imagery upon the canvas as a limitless flat patchwork that stretches into infinity. While Raitt’s work implies an accelerated machine-like production process, his work is borne of time-consuming and heavily labored oil painting. Raitt’s technical skill in painting modernizes the traditional landscape, deconstructing its figurative language with an approach that is neither wholly kitsch nor fully abstracted.
Staycation, April 7 – May 30, 2020
Misty Rock, September 9 – October 21, 2017
Happy Painting, April 18 – May 30, 2015
Neil Raitt
Education
Solo Exhibitions
Group Exhibitions
Collections
Prizes and Awards
Publications
Press