Charles Beck: An Artist for All Seasons
Fergus Falls artist Charles Beck was in love with the Minnesota landscape. A collection of 40 of his woodcut prints, paintings and sculpture are on display in the art gallery of the historic James J. Hill House. Beck, who referred to his style as "abstract realism," gracefully blends the colors of each season. The 1969 painting "Snowbound," lathered with chunky paint, captures the essence of three quiet barns during an intensely snowy day. The signature woodcut "Survivors" (1997) portrays three trees against a hazy yellowish-magenta sunset across a cornfield. The show is rounded out by a gathering of heron sculptures crafted from basswood. It's as if they were there, wandering the landscape of the late Beck. (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wed.-Sat.; 1-4 p.m. Sun. Ends Feb. 24. 240 Summit Av., St. Paul. $6-$10, free for members and ages 4 and under. 651-297-2555 or mnhs.org/hillhouse)
Alicia Eler
