Media

George Stern, George Stern Fine Arts

For over twenty years, George Stern Fine Arts has been specializing in American Impressionist art. During that time, our emphasis has been on the Early California “Plein Air” painters of the period between 1890 to 1940. Living in Southern California one is easily overwhelmed by our magnificent landscape, purple mountains, verdant valleys, glistening coastlines, special to our area because of our unique sunlight. It is this imagery that is today’s link to the artists of the past. The emotions called forth by the grandeur of California’s landscape are as inspirational to today’s artists as they were to the Early Impressionist. For us, dealing in this period of art is a labor of love.

In all the years that we have featured Early California painters, we have never, until now, been so impressed with a contemporary artist as we are with John Comer. George Stern Fine Arts is proud to present an exhibition of John Comer’s paintings as our very first exhibition of works by a contemporary artist.

We found John Comer’s work to have the elements and the spirit of the Early California artist. His panoramas of Santa Monica and Santa Barbara capture that wonderful Southern California light. At different times of the day, that special light changes the character of the landscape. One can really see that John Comer is moved by Southern California in the same way his brethren artists were moved at the turn of the century.

Unlike the Early California painters and many of the contemporary mimics of the early group, John Comer is a California Impressionist of today. He has taken that early spirit and integrated it with scenes of modern California to create a fresh and exciting vision of what Southern California is today. He enables us to see beauty in what we often take for granted. A highway running along the coast becomes an artery of life sinuously traveling in harmony with undulating hills. The changes made by progress to nature become part of nature’s beauty. No matter what man has done to the land, the power of nature’s beauty eventually permeates these changes. John Comer’s creative eye brings us closer to this spirit. After experiencing this exhibit we will never again see this Southern California environment without being aware of the beauty we so often ignore.

We wish to extend our thanks to Mr. Greg Young, whose enthusiasm for John Comer’s work equals ours. Without his tireless efforts, this exhibit would never have taken place. It was Mr. Young who introduced us to John Comer’s work; and for this we are eternally grateful.