Hunt Slonem is the reason why the term “eccentric artist” was coined. He is a collector, an animal lover and a high-grossing artist. For the last thirty years Slonem has strived to create a definite esthetic in his world. Slonem surrounds himself with inspiring artifacts, animals and people in his three large estates in the South. He has transformed these mansions into spiritual shrines—places where art infuses every fiber of furniture and every corner of the large aviaries. Slonem often paints with a parrot on his shoulder, singing along with the calls of his companion. He has also been known to consult channelers of the dead and has said that Abraham Lincoln told him to paint doves. It seems as if his new collection is a combination of two separate themes. Slonem’s signature paintings of toucans, swallows and finches are bright and happy while the human portraits like “Countess and Crystal Ball” and “Eight Saints” are darker and more complex. Slonem’s new collection is a look into the mind and soul of a true artiste—a man who sets down the paint brush and still embodies the mysterious aura of a timeless artist. (Rachel Turney)
Through October 18 at Jean Albano Gallery, 215 W. Superior, (312)440-0770
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