James Britton and Kathy Buist
In Exhibit Spanning Two ErasAfter a long absence, the art of James Britton returned to New York City in September, 2004. In a two-artist exhibit connecting two centuries, paintings Britton created in the 1920s and 30s were on display with contemporary work by Kathy Buist that reveals a kindred spirit.
James Britton (1878-1936) was once prominent in the art world here, as both a painter and a critic, but his work fell from fashion during his last years and was virtually unknown to the generation that followed. Starting in the 1990s, however, it has enjoyed a strong revival with museum and gallery shows on the East and West Coasts, including several at the Nabi Gallery’s former location in Sag Harbor, L.I. The Lyman Allyn Museum in New London, Conn., will mount a Britton retrospective next summer.
Orchard and Clouds, Manchester, oil on board, 7x8, 1935
The Nabi show included 16 of the small landscapes and seascapes in oil on board that Britton produced in the mid-1920s while living in Sag Harbor and later after moving to Connecticut. Also on view were two self-portraits and a sampling of woodcut prints. A catalog is available.
Kathy Buist, like Britton, is a New York artist who aims to probe the essence of a particular place and season, repeatedly exploring such qualities as the play of light and shadow over water, between clouds, or among trees. She, too, works in strong brush strokes and vivid hues, often finding her inspiration in and around Sag Harbor. The Nabi show included seven large, radiant studies in her most recent style as well as four pastels and two landscapes in oil and encaustic.
Virginia, pastel on paper, 13x10, 2004
Further information on the artists, including many images from our exhibits, can be found by pursuing the following links:
