DAVID FREDERICK RILEY
December 6, 2022 – January 1, 2023
Scottsdale & Jackson Hole
Opening Reception | Scottsdale | December 8 | 7:00–9:00pm
“It’s Only Rock ‘N Roll, But I Like It”
Long Strange Trip
Oil on canvas | 60 x 60 inches Enquire
At a time rife with division, rock stars represent rare points of unification. Consider the historic aura encircling the likes of James Brown, David Bowie and Debbie Harry. No matter how disparate and distanced their fans may be from each other, their voices spark a shared experience of delight and devotion.
In his latest body of paintings, David Frederick Riley harnesses the heroism of rock n’ roll stars through emphatic paintings. More than portraits, his canvases capture the charismatic presence of each musician, whether it be the striking stare of Jim Morrison or the immersive instrumentalization of Jimi Hendrix. “I try to present the thing about them that transcends their likeness,” Riley says. “I try to interpret the music through technique by using looser brushstrokes, more paint splatters, and visual cues that relate to the song or the artist.” For instance, Jerry Garcia peers out at the viewer from behind rainbow-hued glasses, while Bob Dylan’s jacket, abstracted
as bold diagonals, suggests the poetic slashes of his lyrics.
Channeling the transcendence of music, Riley lets each painting dissolve into abstraction, with plenty of negative space to invite reflection. Ever since childhood, Riley has listened to the gamut of genres, from the classic rock tracks beloved by his parents to the rock stars he sketched in college. Then as now, he registers music as expansive, opening, an experience that “moves beyond the body.” Ever a storyteller, he channels the chords he loves most into the canvases he now presents.
Better Call Saul
Oil on canvas | 60 x 40 inches
Lonely Hearts Club
Oil on canvas | 62 x 62 inches (for all 4) Enquire
The Father of Rock ‘n Roll Oil on canvas | 60 x 48 inches
All Hail the Queen Oil on canvas | 60 x 48 inches Enquire
Rocket Man
Oil on canvas | 48 x 48 inches Enquire
Rider on the Storm Oil on canvas | 60 x 60 inches
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Rolling Stone
Oil on canvas | 60 x 36 inches Enquire
Totally Oil on canvas | 50 x 40 inches
Heart of Glass Oil on canvas | 48 x 60 inches
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Janis
Oil on canvas | 36 x 60 inches
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Starman Oil on canvas | 72 x 48 inches Enquire
Flying High Again
Oil on canvas | 60 x 60 inches
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Rebel Yell
Oil on canvas | 60 x 40 inches
7038 E Main Street | Scottsdale AZ AltamiraArt.com | 480-949-1256
