The Light Still Sheds the Dark by Gregory Packard

Gregory Packard’s vibrant American Impressionist paintings will grace the Jacomien Mars Gallery for the inaugural exhibition celebrating The Brinton Museum’s new Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Building. Packard’s work, rendering the landscape, seascapes and floral still life, has been exhibited at The Brinton for almost fifteen years. Even in urban settings, he is caught by mesmerizing beauty in the meeting places between nature and humans. He is keenly aware of how humans have altered the landscape and how the land around us shapes who we are.

This exhibition consists of 46 works featuring traditional wet-on-wet and broken color style, most with hand-carved basswood frames designed and gilded in 23-karat gold by the artist himself. For Packard, the choice of two equally expressive painting styles is like agility in both poetry and prose. “Although at times a more literal rendering of nature is the best choice, just as often I find a lyrical statement best describes how I feel about what I see while painting,” he says. “It’s always my challenge to paint not only those qualities seen, but also those that awaken our emotional roots—our souls.”