Coined at the turn of the 20th century, the term “American Realism” describes the painting and writing styles of many venerable artists, including George Bellows, Stephen Crane and Mark Twain. American Realists wrote and painted life as they saw it, focusing on the “grit and the reality of the early 20th century in America,” which usually meant selecting members of the lower and middle classes as subjects. While American Realism has evolved in the last 100 years, 21st-century realists still strive to depict scenes that represent what the naked eye perceives. A group of contemporary Realist painters, including Hale Johnson, John MacDonald, Nick Patten, Evan Wilson and Kim Denise (whose “Seven Shades of Gold” is pictured), exhibit their work in Williamstown this month in American Realists.
Johnson paints dilapidated farm buildings; MacDonald paints landscapes of the Berkshires; Patten’s paintings capture the loneliness of empty rooms in old houses; Wilson paints everyday objects; and Denise’s paintings are typically vignettes of fruit and flatware.
Dec.6-24, reception: Dec. 6, 5-7 p.m. The Harrison Gallery, 39 Spring St., Williamstown, (413) 458-1700, www.theharrisongallery.com.