Slow Burn | Paintings by Chris Bell

171 Cedar Arts Center presents Slow Burn | Paintings by Chris Bell, on Display in the Houghton Gallery at 155 Cedar Street from April 21 – June 9, 2023. Opening Reception will be April 21 from 5 to 7 pm, with an Artist Talk at 6:00 pm.

This colorful new body of work by local Horseheads artist Chris Bell explores the way in which man-made objects, once discarded and forgotten, are reclaimed by the natural world. These acrylic works were created exclusively on found materials. Crushed metal, coatings of rust, and a lack of human figures reinforce a sense of abandonment. Here, the scale of Bell’s work has expanded to dominate a large-format. His paintings strive to capture the fragility, beauty, and narrative behind each of these vehicles. This universally accessible subject matter is a reminder of the ephemeral nature of man-made objects.

Originally from Horseheads, Bell is a graphic artist who has worked as a professional illustrator for a variety of media outlets and corporations. Ever since he could grasp a crayon, he has been drawing. Bell earned a Bachelors’ Degree in fine art and a Masters’ Degree in education from Elmira College. Having started his professional illustration career in journalism, Bell currently teaches art at Horseheads High School. Bell Graphics has been his creative outlet for more than 20 years and represented a variety of clients including Corning Incorporated, The American Kidney Foundation, Arnot Art Museum, and Under Armour. You can view more of his professional work on Instagram at @bellgfx