LewAllen Galleries presents a memorial exhibition honoring the life and work of renowned artist John Fincher opening October 25, 2024, and remaining on view through December 1, 2024. Fincher exhibited his work at LewAllen and its predecessor, the Elaine Horwitch Galleries, for long periods starting in the late 1970s. He was named by a well-known

John Fincher's passing on August 15 of this year has left an irreplaceable void in the Santa Fe art community. A much beloved and masterful painter, monotype maker, and skilled draftsman, Fincher explored diverse and captivating subjects—from piñon-dotted landscapes and shaving brushes to prickly cactus and towering poplar trees. He often referred to these motifs as the “trappings of the West”, celebrating the vibrant essence of the American Southwest with a unique blend of humor, wit, and theatrical brilliance.

Fincher's artistry was characterized by an unyielding commitment to capturing the beauty of his surroundings, producing works that could, in his words, effortlessly "grab a viewer and make them do a double take." His sometimes epic-scale paintings featured limbs thrusting from unseen trunks, cacti exploding to fill canvases, and botanicals floating through the sky, all rendered in rich colors that radiate the mythic optimism and spirit of the American Frontier.

In his work, Fincher crafted a semiotic archive of the West, reflecting themes of pride, strength, and individualism. The American West, for him, was not just a backdrop; it was a reservoir of mythic possibilities and new beginnings, and his art enshrined these powerful symbols in a manner that resonated deeply with viewers.

Describing himself as a man of the West, Fincher's colorful close-ups of commonplace objects transformed the ordinary into something profound. Dubbed Cowboy pop, his approach mirrored the cultural transfigurations of urban artists like Andy Warhol, yet his intention remained humble. As he stated, “I never strive to be didactic. My paintings are all about the place where I live. I want to paint things people will find beautiful and enjoy living with”.

This exhibition honors Fincher’s ability to create uplifting, engaging works devoid of kitsch or cliché. His mastery of materiality, combined with his fluency in line, color, and light, converged to produce art that inspires and reassures. The “trappings” he depicted are symbols of authenticity. Fincher celebrated the redemptive power of human imagination over circumstance. There is a direct honesty in his images that conjures grace from the commonplace.

It is art that inspires and reassures even as it resonates the purity and possibility for new beginnings that is inalterably paired in the mythic imagination with the goodness and pristine majesty that Fincher saw in his vision of the Southwest. His art, rich in sophisticated beauty and powerful meaning, resonates with the iconic elements at the heart of America’s spirit.