John Brown University presents Silent Witness, a series of paintings by renowned painter Joel Sheesley, at the Windgate Visual Arts West Gallery on Thursday, Sept. 3. The show will open with a reception at 6:00-7:30 p.m. and will feature a gallery talk by the artist at 6:30 p.m. The exhibit will be on display until Sept. 28.

“I’m always looking for something original, something as of yet unstudied,” said Sheesley. “The artist’s job is to see and to represent or to respond to the ‘sensation’ of the landscape. We all have sensations; the painter’s task is to realize them, to render sensations as paint.”

The exhibit will feature pieces from Sheesley’s yearlong challenge to paint en plein air (painting in the open air) at the Lincoln Marsh near his home in Wheaton, Illinois, as well as some large studio paintings that reflect a psychological connectedness between nature and humanity.

“The work is arresting and beautiful,” said Charles Peer, gallery curator and professor of visual arts at JBU. “Sheesley’s images feel exact, awe-inspiring and yet, deeply personal. We are excited to share his newest paintings with our community.”

The gallery is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. or by special arrangement. The reception and the exhibit are free and open to the public. For further information contact the JBU Department of Visual Arts at 479-238-8561.