ERIC NASH: WESTERN LUST
“I’m interested in the universal and iconic, both light and dark. California and The West is my ground. A place where the mundane and spectacular live side by side against ever present mythological themes of hope, life and death. A dark and sunny place – so very dangerous, sexy and romantic. I admit it. I have western lust.” – Eric Nash
Eric Nash is a California artist working in oil and charcoal. He focuses on icons and scenes inspired by Los Angeles and the California desert. His realistic images are pared down to their idealized essence often conveying a moment or memory. He works in a limited set of series, some of which go back decades.
To Nash, the West carries a sense of romance and freedom. It is clear from viewing Nash’s work that he admires the West and appreciates the autonomy it affords him as an artist. It is “a place without labels and without restrictions.” His work explores lonely unpopulated spaces, and the images are constructed with exquisite care and detail.
Nash’s solo exhibition, “Western Lust”, elevates the types of scenes in Los Angeles and the California desert the artist has been exploring throughout his career. Using oil and charcoal, he creates highly realistic images that are likely to be confused for photographs, complete with subtle imperfections in a concrete road or an illuminated neon sign. His shading and precision result in hyper-realistic illusions of lighting and reflection, mirroring Nash’s romantic notions of the West—an approach that suggests to the viewer that anything is possible.
Eric began with community-sponsored art classes at age 5. He went on to receive a BFA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on a talented student tuition waiver. He is represented by noted art galleries in Los Angeles and Palm Springs where he has had numerous solo shows over the years. His work is collected internationally including by well-known Entertainment industry members, Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and corporations, such as Delta Airlines.
He has been the subject of numerous media articles and his work has been collected or featured at The Hilbert Museum of California Art, Tucson Museum of Art, Laguna Art Museum, Riverside Art Museum and Palm Springs Art Museum. He currently lives and works in the high desert town of Yucca Valley.
DETAILS:
COMPOUND YUCCA VALLEY ART GALLERY
55379 Twentynine Palms Highway,
Yucca Valley, CA, 92284, United States
THRU MARCH 26
OPEN FRIDAY 2-5, SATURDAY 12-5 and SUNDAY 12-5
Katie Nartonis is a writer, curator, art + design specialist and film maker. Her exhibit “Edwin + Lloyd” based on the founding of the Institute of Mentalphysics’ Retreat Center and the Lloyd Wright architectural treasures there is open 10am-5pm March 3, 4 and 5th. Her most recent documentary film “Jack Rogers Hopkins: California Design Maverick” premiered at the Palm Springs Art Museum Annenberg Theater during Palm Springs Modernism Week, 2023.
