Princeton NJ Museums and Galleries Press Releases

The Gallery at Chapin Features Tom Birkner in an Exhibit Entitled “The Rain Paintings” from October 30 thru December 11, 2010

The Gallery at Chapin will feature the paintings of Tom Birkner in an exhibit entitled “The Rain Paintings” from October 30 thru December 11, 2010 with a reception for the artist on Wednesday, November 10 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Tom Birkner is known for his scenes of Post-Industrial America.  Birkner’s paintings revolve around the ordinary people and places of suburban New Jersey and the factory towns of Northeastern Pennsylvania.  “Being a realist painter, placing my work within the context of contemporary art is complex,” explains Birkner.  “My work strives to maintain what I call a style-less style. I attempt to tweak my depictions of reality enough to present an unquestionable contemporary relevance, while still reducing the stylizations and disfigurations common in art today.“

Birkner maintains a home and studio, called White Flag, in Lambertville, New Jersey.  “New Jersey, my home state, is the focal point of all my new work,” states Birkner. “I think I like to make paintings of New Jersey because so many people think it’s an ugly, suburban jungle of traffic, malls, subdivisions and restaurant chains.  “It might be ugly,” continues Birkner  “one might want to ignore it, but the social landscape of Jersey is the social landscape of 21^st Century America.”

“I care about the things I paint,” says Birkner. “I’m not driven by art world strategies. I paint what I think is important.” Birkner’s paintings are detailed in oil and sometimes acrylic. He sometimes focuses on only one hue in a painting, bringing to the work a cinematic quality that sets the mood and feeling of each piece. His work has been reviewed in multiple journals including the New York Times, ART News, Art in America and he has shown in galleries and exhibitions worldwide including New York, Los Angeles, Beijing and Italy.

In addition to the artist reception, the exhibit can be viewed by appointment during school hours between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.  The Chapin School is located at 4101 Princeton Pike, Princeton, NJ.  To make an appointment to visit the gallery, please call 609-924-7206.