BOSTON, MASS.- "My intention within the subject matter balances two arenas-the environment and the spirit. The Housatonic River has inspired artists and poets for generations, offering a place for quiet meditation. It continues to be a source of inspiration for me, and a symbol of hope. This resource, once on the verge of destruction due to PCB pollution, has through environmental efforts led by the Housatonic River Initiative rebounded as a resource for wildlife. Our efforts to protect the environment are more important than ever and water and air are of prime concern. Rivers are a source for life, from which a healthy evolution depends, and a reminder of how we must be vigilant with protecting our natural resources." - Jim Schantz

The Eternal Source: New Work by Jim Schantz opens this weekend at the Pucker Gallery in Boston and runs from 15 October through 27 November 2022, with a Public Opening Reception at the Gallery on Saturday, 15 October from 3 to 6pm.

This is Schantz's second exhibition at Pucker Gallery since the pandemic and his tenth with the Gallery since 2005. In the last few years, nature as a subject has become even more essential to him as a place of respite and healing. The works in this exhibition are divided between oil painting and pastel. Each has its own unique qualities and offers different approaches to interpreting nature. The larger canvases favor a gestural approach, whereas pastels require a subtle and delicate application.

Schantz paints many iconic Berkshire landscapes, such as Monument Mountain, visible from many perspectives throughout the area and sacred site of the Mohican Nation, who lived in the Berkshires for thousands of years before the arrival of the Europeans. His pastels of Konkapot Brook (named after the Mohican sachem, or chief) offer a place for quiet reflection. Gould Field is one of the many land trusts in the area, just beyond the south gate of Tanglewood, summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The meadow frames Monument Valley with Monument Mountain as the centerpiece.

The efforts of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council and other organizations have helped to preserve open space for generations. Schantz's work preserves a moment of time and a certain light. He is motivated by a constant amazement of the power of nature-the endless visual stimulus, the beauty that surrounds us. He brings the viewer into a meditative place and reminds us of the importance of the healing aspects of nature.

Pucker Gallery is located at 240 Newbury Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA. Please visit www.puckergallery.com for a list of virtual gatherings and events accompanying The Eternal Source and to view the exhibition. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 10AM to 5:30PM and Sundays from 1-5PM.