These lush, captivating paintings by the British-Irish artist were produced in his studio and en plein air in Italy’s Sabine Hills, outside of Rome.  Setting off through the countryside in his truck to seek out shady outcrops in the blinding sun, McDowell sought to place himself in direct dialogue with a diverse lineage of painterly precursors, including Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Vincent Van Gogh, and Winslow Homer.

Homer, arguably America’s greatest artist, has special resonance here at the Parsonage. He was a frequent guest at this historic home, staying with his aunt Clara Thurston (née Benson) and uncle Rev. Stephen Thurston, and even producing some of his early drawings of natural subjects on site.  The Parsonage permanent collection includes Harper's Weekly engravings by Homer alongside watercolors by Winslow’s mother, the accomplished watercolorist Henrietta Benson Homer. 

Well-known in Europe as an abstract painter and curator, McDowell’s latest paintings hover on the verge of figuration, with recognizable elements emerging and dissolving as one contemplates them. As he has done throughout his career, McDowell employs a variety of mark-making techniques, whether directly using his hands or utilizing both ends of a paintbrush.  He also seeks to break down traditional boundaries and hierarchies between painterly media.

McDowell alternates between bold impasto passages in oil and thin, delicately applied glazes, suggestive of Homer’s watercolors.  McDowell revels equally in the delights of the natural world and the endless possibilities of painting.  The pursuit of each—especially together—has become second nature in the artist’s second act.