Art Exhibit: Charles Malzenski, On the Land

Artist Charles Malzenski is a painter of representational landscapes, non-representational work including color field and minimalist studies, and conceptual work including dowsing, drawing on the ground, and altering and arranging landscape elements.

On the Land features those representational landscapes and Malzenski’s mastery of the medium- timeless, sweeping landscapes where one gets lost in clouds and trees, and where sunlight and shadow become active elements in still images.

Rather than commenting on his own intentions, Malzenski prefers that the audience observe the work in silence and arrive at their own conclusions. His only comment is that “Paint should look like paint. Brushwork shows the intuitive connection between hand and heart.” A lifetime of living with a direct connection to his land- experiencing deeply the seasons, the sunlight, the daily cycle of light and dark affords Malzenski insight he translates to paint on canvas, resulting in images that express love, respect, and appreciation of the land.

Malzenski earned a BFA from Hartford Art School in 1970 and divides his time between an off grid stone cottage in western Massachusetts and Enfield, Connecticut. His work is recognized locally as well as abroad in a number of visual and conceptual art forums as well as in private, museum, and corporate collections. He has participated in many group shows and his work has been in national and international publications.