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M I C H A E L  B E NT L E Y

New Works on Paper
Curated by Lisa Boron
Friday, November 3rd, 2017
Opening Reception 5-8pm
Running through December 31st, 2017

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"Walking out to the shore every morning and looking out over the sea,


I am still in awe of its beauty" 
 -- Michael Bentley

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CHICAGO, IL - Gruen Galleries is proud to present an exhibition of new works on paper by artist 
 Michael Bentley, a Solo Exhibition curated by Lisa Boron. This is the artist’s 5th Solo show with the 
 gallery since his first
in 2011. It opens Friday, November 3rd and will run through December 31st.

With these new works, Bentley continues to explore abstract seascapes, with his unconventional 
 use of gouache. Working with the medium’s brilliance and range of opacities and the intricate 
use of white pigment, there is a signature luminosity and reflective quality inherent to his earlier 
 works. Bentley pushes the medium and the paper with the number of washes along with the size 
 of the works, which are infused with countless layers applied over months to build the tranquil complexions evoking expanse and calm.

The rich texture and subtleties are not lost under glass, as these works are treated with a unique 
 archival finish
and can be taken in without distraction. This notably enhances the feeling of being 
 drawn into the image,
especially given the scale of the unusually large pieces, which size up 
to 48 by 96 inches.

Though not site specific, the imagery summons a stirring familiarity of place that truly resonates. 


For Bentley, living on the pristine coast of Nova Scotia with the North Atlantic's intense transforming beauty, provides an endless multitude of palettes, moods and movement to draw from. 

Bentley paints from memory and describes that working with this medium generates a daily,
metamorphic process, much like the sea that inspires.

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Bentley was born in Wisconsin and currently lives in Nova Scotia, Canada. 

He has exhibited in galleries and museums across the US, and his work can be found in numerous corporate
and private collections.

For more information, please contact Lisa Boron at Gruen Galleries
 at 312.337.6262 or lisa@gruengalleries.com.

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Gruen Galleries www.gruengalleries.com 226 Superior Street, Chicago, IL 60654 312.337.6262