Inspired by the enigmatic forms found in an ochre quarry in Roussillon, France, this series delves deeper into landscape themes that DOUG MARTIN has been exploring in recent years. Known for his paintings of upstate New York, this new work is a departure both geographically and visually. His palette of warm and cool neutrals is here infused with the vibrant warm colors of Provence. Started last spring while teaching near Lacoste, these works were painted with pigments gathered at the ochre quarry itself.

All of MARTIN's paintings start out with direct observation; some are finished with an expressiveness and brevity, which demonstrate his abstract roots, others become fuller and more literal. At first glance, the paintings appear as tranquil scenes. A closer look, however, reveals that the artist has deconstructed and re-assembled each work into both naturalistic and abstract passages. Some areas dissolve into loosely painted surfaces, while others standout with minute detail. With his early background in abstraction and his romantic sense of place, DOUG MARTIN's paintings are contemporary expressions of the landscape tradition.