Opening night of Jim’s exhibition, Dynamics of Desire, at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley was a thrill for us all and a great success, with over 200 guests attending.
The paintings and drawings for the exhibition were carefully chosen after hours of discussion and deliberation. There was a great deal of laughter and story telling as Jim regaled us with events and places pertinent to the subject matter of many of his paintings. It doesn’t get much better than sitting around a table talking about art on a warm summer’s day, especially when the art is right there in front of you.
We carried some of the paintings out into Jim’s back yard where we leaned them against pine trees for photographing, with Jim seated or standing among them. Art is always shown in museums or galleries for good reason, but Jim’s art leaning up against those trees also seemed the perfect venue for the organic movement, color palette, and subject matter of his work.
Cory Garman of MSV selected the title, Dynamics of Desire, taken from one of Jim’s drawings on display at the museum, and the exhibition explores many of Jim’s figural works, where human form and landscape flow together. Beautifully and perfectly lit, Jim’s paintings virtually sing from the walls of the exhibit space. Upon entering the room there is an immediate sensation of being washed over by the reflected light and color of stained-glass windows. In fact the paintings are like open windows which invite and call upon us to imagine other more dynamic worlds and narratives which ebb and flow in synchronicity with the natural world we are accustomed to.
Working with Cory Garman, Director of Exhibitions, Matthew Robertson, Collections Assistant, Nancy Huth, Deputy Director and Kyle Bryner, Registrar/Collections Manager, as well as all the staff at MSV to launch this beautiful exhibition of Jim’s work was a joy and a pleasure. We wish to thank everyone who helped for their guidance, expertise, and plain good humor.
Jim Costello
Visit the MSV. Enjoy Dynamics of Desire, and all of the many wonderful installations and historical exhibits on offer at this marvelous museum.
Maggie Maloney