Speaking of National Geographic...

Jim Gurney reminded me that National Geographic’s exhibition, The Art of Exploration, opens at the Allentown Art Museum this weekend, it runs until May 25th. I saw this show when it was at the Rockwell Museum a few years ago. It’s one of the best shows I’ve seen....but then I would say that since it pushes so many of my imagination buttons: exploration, animals, dinosaurs.

There are over a 100 paintings on exhibit, many from Geographic’s collection. I was in their offices a few years ago and nearly cried. It seems they use up any leftover budget they have each year by buying artwork. Their hallways double as one of the most amazing illustration collections I’ve ever seen, from Wyeth to today’s artists.

The artists represented in the exhibition include Paul Calle, Kinuko Y. Craft, Vincent Di Fate, Louis S. Glanzman, John Gurche, James M. Gurney, Greg Harlin, Charles R. Knight, Tom Lovell, Greg Manchess, Robert McGinnis, Stanley Meltzoff, Fred Otnes, Jerry Pinkney, Kazuhiko Sano, Richard Schlecht, Burt Silverman, Barron Storey, Jack Unruh, Andrew Wyeth (sigh!), N. C. Wyeth, and the ubiquitous “and many others”.

If you are in the area, the show is a must-see. There a number of tours and lectures being held in conjunction with the exhibit, including Jim Gurney talking about his latest Dinotopia book, Journey to Chandara, on March 9th. Jim is incredibly generous when it comes to talking about his process, he’s truly one of the most informative artists you’ll ever get to hear. (I assume anyone interested in painting technique is already reading his blog, Gurney Journey.)

PAINTINGS: Jim Gurney, Lou Glanzman