Every painter has a style, a somewhat elusive term that applies to the individual look of an artist’s output — prototypical subject matter combined with the way he or she constructs a composition.
Although styles evolve over time, often ending in a very different place from where they began, artists typically settle into a mature, recognizable approach, creating variations on a theme.
Think, for example, of the 17th- century Dutch painter Solomon van Ruisdael, whose instantly recognizable landscapes in museums worldwide undoubtedly follow a certain formula, yet each is a beautifully distinctive work that stands on its own.
With other artists, though, a style can become synonymous with repetition, with one painting blurring into another. While one or two might look good on their own, a large group of such works can produce an undesirable feeling of sameness.
Such thoughts came to mind while viewing “The Nature of Things,” a new exhibition running through Feb. 23 at the William Havu Gallery.
It showcases 44 of the most recent paintings and drawings by husband and wife Tracy and Sushe Felix, who rank among Denver’s most popular and widely known artists.
As a visit to the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, where both are represented, makes clear, these artists have worked in different ways previously, but in recent years they have settled into highly familiar, indeed, predictable styles.
Anyone who knows their work will already have a pretty good idea of what is on view at the Havu Gallery before they go, and that raises some prickly questions.
There is no doubt that both Tracy and Sushe are skilled, disciplined artists who know how to manipulate paint and assemble well-balanced pictures.
Tracy, who was born near the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the San Luis Valley and grew up in Colorado Springs, creates semi-abstract, storybook mountain scenes with highly stylized, cottony clouds — all with a tinge of whimsy.
As was made clear last summer in the exhibition, “Landscapes of Colorado,” they undoubtedly provide a welcome antidote to the surfeit of ultra-realistic depictions of the state’s mountains.
A characteristic example is “The Maroon Bells,” 61-by-49- inch oil on panel. A layer of marshmallowlike clouds hovers above this expansive, aerial view of the mountains near Aspen, with snow arrayed on them in an unnaturally ordered fashion.
Sushe’s landscapes (and sometimes cityscapes) are equally stylized but in a more abstract manner, with often soft, radiating, curvy patterns that somewhat resemble a topographic map and a bright, non-objective colors.
Exemplifying her work is “In the Distance,” a 36-by-49-inch acrylic and collage on panel. Echoing Van Gogh’s “The Starry Night,” it offers a sweeping night sky with mountains and a kind of romanticized view of an industrial complex below.
Like van Ruisdael, the work of both Felixes is quickly identifiable. But unlike the old master, each of their new works is not always strong and distinctive enough on its own to avoid a sense of repetition.
An argument can be made that these artists have grown too comfortable. They have found approaches that are commercially viable, as evidenced by the many red dots, and they are sticking with them.
In the case of Sushe, the work is further hurt by what seems like too much of an effort to be pretty. Even worse are works that veer into the precious, such as “Flying South” and “Rest Stop,” with cutesy birds arranged on tree branches.
As the history of art makes clear, theme and variations are inevitable, but those variations have to resonate with individual presence and purpose.
“The Nature of Things”
Art William Havu Gallery, 1040 Cherokee St. Exhibition of paintings and drawings by veteran Denver artists Sushe and Tracy Felix. Through Feb. 23. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Free. 303-893-2360 or
Kyle MacMillan: 303-954-1675 or kmacmillan@denverpost.com
