Though not the most traditional place for an art exhibition, just inside Mead Hall there is a set of 14 landscape paintings from a Drew alumnus. Rick Mullin’s (C‘80) “The Landscape” is on display now through March 6.
Mullin’s landscapes were, for the most part, painted on location, and are locations from surrounding areas. The paintings have a distinct post-impressionist influence, with Mullin citing inspirations from artists such as Paul Cezzane. His bold and marked strokes communicate the direct connection between the artist and the canvas.
Mullin credits Drew for helping him develop as an artist and thinker. “Drew opened my eyes,” he said. Mullin was an English literature major and the editor-in-chief of the literary magazine, The Plateau. Literature still plays a role in his artistry, as he is also a poet with nine published collections.
It was 10 years after his graduation that he became immersed in the world of painting, when, in Los Angeles, he saw a collection of Fauve landscapes on display. From there, between taking night classes at the Art Students League of New York and mentorship from Paul Weingarten, he began his exploration of the world of painting.
Mullin’s style emphasizes the exploration and imagination that is the process of painting. He says he developed his style “by accident,” through learning and doing. This explorative quality comes through in the paintings and conveys the feelings that the locations bring out in Mullin, the ones that keep bringing him back to that same place.
These locations vary from natural scenes, like Keuka Lake in New York state and a stream in Grover Cleveland Park, to a painting of Drew’s own Mead Hall, the very building it is currently being displayed in.
A heavy use of impasto, the layering of paint to create texture in the painting, builds on the viscerality and emotion that one can feel in each work. Instead of a hyper-realist recreation of the scene, Mullin instead conveys feeling and represents more than just what is there physically, using expression to “find clarity in the chaos.”
“The Landscape” is a rich study in romantic and abstract influences in landscape painting, and the emotional and spiritual aspect of art. The paintings are on view from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, in the main foyer of Mead Hall, for all to appreciate and enjoy.
Nathan Moldover is a first year majoring in political science and philosophy.