Newton Roux Gallery is a new contemporary art space in Bedford Square in downtown Westport focused on emerging realist and abstract painters. Its third solo exhibition "Life and Depth" features 3D anaglyph and book paintings by Norwalk based artist Norm Siegel and runs from November 16th 2018 through January 2019.
The opening reception will be held on Friday, November 16th from 6:30pm to 8pm and is open to the public. All are welcome to come and meet the artist in person and enjoy complimentary wine and beer while viewing Mr. Siegel’s work.
From Mr. Siegel’s artist’s statement: “I have no intellectual or emotional reasons for why I paint like I do. Nor do I have any fancy explanations for what I’m trying to communicate to the viewer. I paint like I do because that’s the way I’m wired.”
“We’re excited about this show because of the uniqueness of Norm’s work” said Newton Roux Gallery owner, Kevin Manley. “We’re presenting two kinds of depth here: the physical depth of his book paintings, so realistic you’re tempted to try to turn their pages, and the virtual depth of his anaglyphs, which come alive through 3D glasses.”
Newton Roux Gallery, at 14 Elm Street, occupies the 2nd floor corridor connecting Barbour and Whip Salon in the new Bedford Square retail complex in downtown Westport. The entrance is at the top of the stairs across the street from The Spotted Horse. Owners Amy Pal and Kevin Manley created the gallery to help promote talented emerging local artists, create synergies between the gallery and surrounding Bedford Square and Church Lane merchants, and make the buying process transparent and easy for collectors while leveraging an underutilized space with natural foot traffic. The gallery is open during the normal business hours of Bedford Square, or by appointment. For more information visit https://www.newtonroux.com/, email info@newtonroux.com, or call 203-403-0863.
Inspired on a 6th grade school trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art by the magnificent landscapes of Albert Bierstadt, and a trompe l’oeil painting by William Harnett; Siegel knew what he wanted to do. While studying art at Cooper Union in the days when abstract expressionism was pushed hard he says he felt like the left-handed boy being forced to write right-handed. Though his photorealistic and figurative style was tolerated at Cooper he felt out of place and eventually turned to advertising.
Growing up as a child of the late ‘40s and early ‘50s Siegel was a huge fan of 3D comics and the early 3D movies. To him, it seemed like a great challenge to see if he could work out the process to achieve painting the 3D effect. Additionally, he has created a genre of “Coffee Table Book Paintings”. Famous rare book editions and magazines that interest Siegel; realistically rendered to be displayed on a coffee table or wall.