BEN STEELE: New Paintings
DECEMBER 6 - 27, 2019
DEC 6, FRI: OPENING RECEPTION, 5-8 PM
 

PALM DESERT, CA —CODA Gallery presents a new exhibition of paintings by renowned artist, Ben Steele, running December 6 – 27, 2019.  An opening reception, attended by the artist from Utah, will be held on December 6, 5-8 pm, in conjunction with El Paseo Art Walk/Palm Desert First Weekend. 

With a BFA in Painting and Drawing from the University of Utah, Ben Steele imbues his paintings with tongue-in-cheek references to predecessors such as Leonardo da Vinci, Edgar Degas, Marc Chagall, and Jeff Koons. On many occasions, he has melded famed artists — Georges Seurat, Georgia O’Keefe, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, et al. — with crayons, gumball machines, or the Etch-a-Sketch. He describes his work as “kind of realist or representational oil paintings, usually with a theme.” The subject matter may vary greatly, but it weaves in history and pop culture.

In 2005, Ben Steele moved into his first studio in downtown Helper, Utah; and in 2019, he finished renovating an industrial building for his new 7,000 square foot studio.  For his upcoming CODA exhibition, new paintings include “Palm Springs Parfum,” which highlights desert modernism, as well as other works with references to Lichtenstein, Vermeer, Dali, Magritte and Van Gough. “I love sampling through the past and combining things.” Most of the time, I feel like I honor my subjects, but I absolutely am not above making fun of them,” Ben says.

CODA Gallery opened on El Paseo in 1987 and offers a thoughtfully-curated collection of work by emerging, midcareer, and established artists. Located at 73400 El Paseo in Palm Desert, the gallery is open Monday through Saturday, 10-6; and Sunday, 11-5. For more information, call 760-346-4661 and/or visit www.codagallery.com. For more information on Palm Desert First Weekend, visit www.pdfirstweekend.com.