intro: It's just possible that last week on Martha's Vineyard a new star of the art world was born. More after this,
commercial
It's too early to be sure, but when a young artist has his first one-man show, with thirty-five of his paintings, and sells more than half, the message would seem fairly clear.
The young artist is Steve Mills, twenty-four year old, and Island raised. His one-man show was at the Red Barn Emporium in West Tisbury, According to it's proprietors, Brandon Wight and Bruce Blackwell, it was a striking hit with much approval for Steve Mills' work in oil, acrylic, water color, pen and ink and pencil. His attention to detail is almost photo-realistic, and much approval was also expressed of his sympathy for colors and shadows, and his depth of perception.
Steve Mills' remaining works have been re-grouped for further showing on an outside wall of the barn leading into the Granary Gallery.
The two Martha's Vineyard weeklies gave solid reviews to Steve Mills' work, The Gazette suggested that he paints with stunning power and verve, and that his portraits of the Vineyard sing with authenticity. The Grapevine described one of his paintings, sold last week, "After the Storm," as reminiscent of the Seventeenth century Dutch, paintings.
Mills, one might observe, now has a problem. His ambition to make his living as a painter is known to his friends and family, and also to his sponsors and advisors, Wight and Blackwell. But, as the Red Barn Emporium proprietors point out -- and it's no news to Mills and his family - an artist's life is not an easy one, And Wight and Blackwell have been careful not to rush showing his work, Judging by the solid success of his first show, it would appear that their timing was admirable.
Now we'll wait for more of Steve Mills' work,
One thing is sure -- Martha's Vineyard is pulling for its new young artist.
I'm Joe Dine, with "A View from the Vineyard"