from the KEY WEST ART & HISTORICAL SOCIETY 281 FRONT STREET, KEY WEST, FL 33040 295-6616 Fax: 295-6649
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Artist Richard Buckheim will be featured in the museum's Artists - In Season series which showcases local FL Keys artists. The Buckheim exhibit will open with a reception on Thursday, March 31st, 2005 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm at the Custom House, 281 Front Street. There will be complimentary wine, soft drinks, hors d'oeuvres and a full bar will be available. Mr. Buckeheim's Abstract Expressionist work is about paint, surface, composition, line form and spatial relationships. Although there is no subject matter in his artwork, he sees all of his paintings as landscapes and works until he is comfortable with the painting's compositional correctness. Richard states, "Painting has a rich tradition that goes back to the cavemen. Art, music, and religion have survived the test of time. The invention of the camera altered the purpose of the artist. The mission was no longer to represent reality. The camera was more efficient for that purpose." He continues, "As a result, the artist was free to explore paint and abstraction. It began with Impressionism, Cubism, and ultimately a uniquely American art style of Abstract Expressionism." Buckheim has lived in the Keys for over 20 years and his work has been on exhibition throughout the United States and at the Lucky Street Gallery here in Key West. Those who attend the opening reception are encouraged to dine afterwards at one of the Art & Historical Society's Exclusive Restaurant Partners who will donate 15% of each check to the Society's education programs for children (on the nights of Artists In Season Receptions only). The Partners are: Antonia's, Flagler's, Michaels Restaurant, and Nicola Seafood. The exhibit will run through May 13, 2005.
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by Dick Buckheim