Painter Richard Dutton matches influences from his rural background of growing up near Bethel, Missouri, and his travels around the globe as an adult in his artwork.
Dutton paints primarily in watercolor, though he also has used oil and mixed media.
"I paint mainly figurative and abstract works of art," Dutton said.
Dutton's artistic beginnings can be traced to back to his college days where, as a pre-med student, he took an art class to fill an elective in his schedule.
"The art course changed my direction in life," Dutton said. "After graduation, I taught art in public schools and then spent 35 years teaching and chairing the Department of Performing and Visual Arts at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa."
Dutton enjoys plein air painting, which is the practice of painting in open air environments.
"I prefer painting in the out of doors and engaging in the shapes, colors and composition in front of me," he said. "I paint in a very quick and deliberate way to capture the scene and atmosphere before me. I believe that an artwork must transcend the subject matter and take on a visual entity of its own."
Dutton's artwork is included in several art collections shown in banks and businesses, as well as private collections. Some of his pieces can be seen at the Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch, Iowa, the Hy-Vee Headquarters in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Bruce and Barabara Feldacker "Labor Collection" Mercantile Library and Art Museum and at the University of Missouri in St. Louis.
This year, Dutton had a watercolor selected for the Watercolor USA exhibition in Springfield. He will be the featured artist at the Domestique Gallery in Washington, Iowa, from Oct. 1-Nov. 15 and will be in a one-person exhibit at Quincy University in Quincy, Illinois, at the Gray Gallery from Oct. 14-Nov. 9. he also will teach a watercolor workshop at the university Nov. 9.
Dutton is a member of the Art House, in Fulton, and the Columbia Art League. See more of his work at duttonwatercolor.com.
Mid-Missouri art happenings
The Capital Arts Gallery will also host the "Tell a Story" exhibit through Sept. 17, with a reception set for 1 p.m. Aug. 18. The Capital Arts Gallery is located at 1203 Missouri Blvd. The gallery is located at 115 E. Broadway in Ashland. For more information, call 573-657-0711 or email [email protected].
Artist Gary Cadwallader has very basic design, drawing and watercolor demos on YouTube, using regular watercolors; look for the G logo. Another artist, Larry Carver, released a series of instructional videos to walk people through his most requested paintings one element at a time, allowing viewers to produce their own versions. Find the videos on Facebook on Cindy Powell Carver's page.
The Lake Arts Council and "Arts at the Lake" will begin its fourth annual Art for the Seasons Show on Aug. 31 at the Porto Cima Yacht Club at Sunrise Beach. Setup will begin at 8:30 a.m., and the show will be open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. Each artist will be assigned an 8-by-10 space where they can display pamphlets, printed materials and other items. For more information about registration, contact the Lake Arts Council at 573-374-9297 or email [email protected].
The Sedalia Visual Art Association is at the Missouri State Fair with Mid Missouri Artists of Warrensburg acting as volunteers and checking artists with their artwork at the Fine Arts Building on the fairgrounds. Volunteers are responsible for receptions and attending the art during the fair. The association meets at 6 p.m. the first Thursday of each month at the annex to the Central Bank building, 403 W. Broadway Blvd. For more information, call 660-458-6575 or 660-238-6242, or email [email protected] or [email protected].
Tune in to JCTV to see Rick Jey, also known as JCAC member Jerry Ricker, host "Spotlight On The Arts," a 30-minute interview of one artist, and "Mid-Missouri Art News," which features two guests in 15-minute interviews. Find JCTV on CenturyLink and Mediacom, as well as on YouTube.
The JCAC Featured Artist through Sept. 19 will be artist Brandi Rackers. You may view a collection of Rackers' artwork, including paintings and ceramic relief sculptures, at the Department of Motor Vehicles, 1617 Southridge Drive. Also, find her as featured artist at the JCAC website, jeffersoncityartclub-missouri.com. Starting Sept. 20, the featured artist will be Essex Garner.
Under the streets of Columbia, Art Underground Downtown offers classical art training for all ages in a historic and art-filled atmosphere. All classes are booked through the end of the summer. Classes for children in kindergarten through 12th grade will be held Tuesday through Thursday nights starting in September. For more information, call 573-355-2255 or email [email protected].
Columbia Palette (Plein Air Painting) meets each week to paint in different places. Group members are of different backgrounds and experiences. All benefit from this sharing of ideas, techniques and materials. Painting as a group gives each member a chance to interact with artists, hear their encouragement and receive constructive criticism. Find out more at columbiapalettepainting.weebly.com.
Photographer David Lancaster will be debuting a photo exhibit on Israel from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 6 at Orr Street Studios, 106 Orr St. in Columbia. The exhibit will juxtapose Israel's antiquity as a backdrop to modern life in the Holy Land, exploring concepts of truth and reality through landscape and street photographs. Find out more at DavidLancasterPhotography.com or find Lancaster on Instagram and Facebook at DavidLancPhotos.
Orr Street Studios offers a studio space for artists with many coming for conversation and the celebration of creation. For more information, call 573-875-4370 or email [email protected].
The third annual Free Community Wide Block Party will be 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Aug. 24 at the New Bloomfield City Park. The event will feature entertainment, food and activities, including games, a waterslide and a bounce house at no cost. An arts and crafts show also will be included, and the Christian Motorcycle Association will show off its motorcycles. The event is sponsored by Hopewell Baptist Church. For more information, call 573-491-3408 or visit hopewellchurch.net.
Jimmy Mustion is a professional artist who is involved in area organizations and galleries.