Gallery Creates a 'LUSH' Experience at Its Newest Art Exhibition

Jeff Waugaman, owner and operator of the Jeff Edwards Gallery, kicked off a series of summer art exhibitions on July 9, with L U S H, featuring the work of three local artists, David Lesako, Kit Paulsen and John Hinderliter.

L U S H was not named for the copious amounts of wine flowing at the opening reception, but for the dramatic colors and styles of these three Pennsylvania artists.

Lesako, an adjunct art instructor at Waynesburg University, showed off his impressionistic pastels. The artist, living in New Freeport, PA, paints a variety of landscapes, almost all within walking distance to his rural home.

Lesako talked in detail about his art, listing the French Impressionists and the German Expressionists as his favorites. He also enthusiastically talked about his career as a teacher. He said, “I have students who have to take an art class, not because they want to but because they have to for their major, and I love teaching them. Some of them haven’t picked up a pencil and drawn anything since they were in third grade.  As a teacher, I teach how to see first, and the drawing follows. Drawing is psychological, and I love that.”

Paulsen, another impressive landscape artist, is one of Pittsburgh’s most recognized painters, and works primarily in water colors. She is a member of the Pittsburgh Watercolor Society, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, and the Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators.  

Paulsen showed some stunning water color landscapes with vivid colors. She lives on a farm and some of her most inspired work features cows. “My neighbors all raise cattle. Since I live on a farm everyone wants us to raise cattle, too. I couldn’t. I would want to name them all and they would become pets. I have a few chickens and we would never eat them. I’m going to be the farmer with old, invalid chickens hobbling around.”

Hinderliter is an award-winning illustrator and fine artist living in Pittsburgh. In L U S H, he presented a series of whimsical oil paintings, many featuring his main muse, Dee Dee. He had a few nudes in the show, a few featuring a silver airstream trailer (painted in lush blues, grays and whites), and a few featuring Sky Launcher balsa-wood model airplanes.

Hinderliter also is a member of Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators and will be featured in "Drawing Under the Influence," a mixed drinks recipe book including illustrated recipes for a variety of cocktails.

Hinderliter loves to plop the paint down without blending the colors. He spoke passionately about an inspiration Impressionist. “There is this John Singer Sargent up at the Butler Institute in Youngstown, Ohio. It’s one of my favorites. It’s the way Singer Sargent uses his paint so economically. He doesn’t blend. He just lays the paint down with a minimum of blending. It’s impressive. I could study it for hours.”

Lesako, Paulsen and Hinderliter’s art can be seen at the Jeff Edwards Gallery, 4904 Library Road, Bethel Park, at the crossroads of Library and Broughton. The L U S H exhibition runs through Aug. 13, and includes watercolors, oils on canvas, pastels, illustrations and more.

Check out www.jeffedwardsgallery.net for details.