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By Andrew Jay Svedlow
~Still-Life
Some artists strive to capture a particular time, place, or personage with sharp clarity and
resolute realism.  Others seek to unfold the mysteries of their own inner life through their art.  
And still others explore aesthetic or social issues in a way that can challenge long-held
assumptions and norms regarding art and life.  Oil painter Colin Berry draws upon the rich
tradition of the Italian Renaissance to create poetically beautiful paintings that represent
elements of all three of these realms of expression.
~Figure
~Portrait
~Landscape
Sharply focused realism is the most immediately evident aspect of Berry’s delicately toned paintings.  Small in scale, they have a presence that is powerful and can carry a space many times their size.  In most cases, his richly evocative oil paintings confront the viewer with a low masonry wall that presents the subject to the viewer.  His simple arrangements of fruits and vegetables are good examples of how an artist can take the commonplace and lift it toward a state of ideal contemplation, reminiscent of Renaissance ideals.  The result is a measured and deliberate encounter that not only makes one stop to ponder the central theme but also draws one into the deep perspective and inviting landscape in the paintings background.
This compositional ploy creates a unique spatial arrangement.  At once, the artworks are formal compositions in the modern tradition of flat frontal approaches to the painted surface.  However, they also contain a northern Italian Renaissance sense of space akin to the atmospheric depth of Leonardo da Vinci’s portraits, not unusual considering Berry’s experience studying and living in Florence, Italy while on a Fulbright grant from 1993-94.  In using gently sweeping tones that originate from the light and landscape of northern Italy, the artist describes an intimate environment that is a technical tour de force.
It was, in fact, his study of the masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance, and in particular, his study of Leonardo’s drawings in the Uffizi, that marked the turning point in Berry’s work.  Berry also credits the painter John Angel with whom he studied painting technique at the Florence Academy of Art, for his understanding of the historical oil painting techniques that he now employs in his work.  Berry’s approach may best be described as a synthesis of technique originating from his personal study of such Renaissance artists as Leonardo and Raphael, and the techniques of the 19th century academic painters he studied with Angel.
The sfumato or subtle shading and tonal quality of the Renaissance master paintings are deeply evident in Berry’s work.  This tonality has a quietness to it, and when coupled with the artist’s choice of subject matter, it creates a private, almost domestic space.  The reference to this underlying theme was brought out by the artist’s own remarks, “I like the idea of personal spaces; For future directions I see an even greater emphasis on personal spaces in my paintings.”
Other, more contemporary inspirations include the American still life master William Bailey, whom Berry met during a summer study program in La Napoule, France in 1985, and the expatriate American painters living and working in Italy such as Richard Maury and Charles Pfahl.  Other early realist influences include Jack Beal, Sondra Freckelton, and his undergraduate mentor Sigmund Abeles.  But it is the formalism of William Bailey’s compositions of everyday forms that seem to relate most strongly to Berry’s still lifes.  Both artists put a new twist on an infatuation with classical space and form bathed in light, color, and atmosphere.
The artist uses a medium smooth oil primed Belgian linen as a support, applying a light middle value, neutrally colored imprimatura thinned with mineral spirits.  Depending on the size of the paintings, the artist can spend up to three months on one image.  For more complex compositions, Berry will complete studies, working out placements and relationships of elements before proceeding to the final piece.  In other paintings he will work directly on the canvas.
Working from a combination of life, memory, and photographic resources, he completes a simple but accurate drawing on the dry imprimatura using the same color thinned with mineral spirits.  This underdrawing contains all the major outlines of the composition, as well as important landmarks and patterns on forms, and major light-dark divisions.  Using soft golden taklon brushes, the “first painting” is then completed using color thinned with turpentine as necessary. All forms are painted once in the first painting layer with attention to hard and soft qualities of edges, and accuracy of color and tone.  At this point, modeling is kept simpler than its final appearance, and the paint layer is translucent.  In the “second painting”, each form is painting once again, paying attention to any necessary color and value adjustments.  This second paint layer is similarly translucent.  The medium used for the second painting stage is stand oil with mineral spirits, or no medium is used.  At this point a more refined modulation of forms is one of the goals.  If all has gone successfully, the painting could be considered done in two layers, although lighter colors may require three layers to cover completely.  As necessary, the artist will continue to refine modeling and form until satisfied.  Some glazing may also be applied after the “second painting” is complete to add more depth to the darks.The finished painting is lightly varnished for a uniform surface.
Like a cherished object passed down within a family from one generation to another, Berry’s paintings exude a sense of place and can be cherished for their intimacy and familiarity.  They provide an excellent catalyst for daydreaming and reveries.  With the soul of a poet, Berry places ambiguity, mystery, and unexpected imaginings into his work.  Perhaps the finest attribute of his paintings is their ability to be familiar without being cliché.
Colin Berry received his undergraduate and masters degrees in painting from the University of New Hampshire and Boston University, respectively.  He has taught at the New Hampshire Institute of Art,Heartwood School of Art, New England College, the University of New Hampshire, and Wesleyan University.  He maintains a studio at his home in Hampton, NH. 
*The artist has edited the paragraphs regarding technical practices to reflect current information.