Past Exhibit - “Horizon Lines: Contemporary Land and Sea Scapes” by Dolores Justus

(Main Lobby Area, Mullins Library)

“Horizon Lines: Contemporary Land and Sea Scapes” includes a selection of expressive oil paintings that are characteristic works of Hot Springs artist Dolores Justus.

The images in the exhibit fall into two broad categories: landscapes and seascapes. With bold strokes and color palettes, Justus manipulates the presentation of each scene to maximize its emotional impact on the viewer. She says, “Every element in nature is unique, yet there is something in it and in us all that we recognize and to which we respond.” Justus says that when she begins composing a piece, her interest lies in “finding those eternal elements that speak to us all, through the language of the landscape.”

Archetypal images dominate the seascapes, such as the gray sea blending into the gray sky in “Pools of Light,” or the sumptuously colored and evocatively titled “Last Light on the Coast.” Spring greens enliven “Alpine Field” and its companion piece “Mountain Meadow,” while golden maturity mellows “Finding Your Way” and “Waiting for Spring.” Each image leads the viewer into the scene and beyond its distant horizon into the realm of evoked memories.

Justus has exhibited her work throughout the United States for more than 15 years. Her work has also been featured in numerous publications, exhibits and collections. Notable exhibits include the Arkansas Women in the Arts Exhibition in Washington, D.C., the Delta Exhibition, Art Quest Exhibition, along with many solo and group shows. She is a contributing artist for “200 Great Painting Ideas,” published by Northlight Books, Artist’s Magazine, and other publications. She was featured in the January 2005 issue of AY Magazine. Having recently participated in the Estes Park Plein Air 2005 painting event in Colorado, her work is included in the resulting exhibit that runs through Sept. 30. Justus has also been instrumental in founding and organizing the plein air painting event held at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs, Ark. Her work is represented by River Market Artspace in Little Rock, Ark.; the Durden Gallery in Memphis, Tenn.; and in her own gallery, Justus Fine Art Gallery, in Hot Springs.