Lay of the land

Landscape paintings have been popular since the dawn of the process itself and, when they are done well, it’s easy to see why. Trends in the art world can shift and change our views on these traditions, but people simply have a connection to the land, and when an art piece speaks of this interaction, we are drawn to the results. The paintings of Manuel Nunes and Sheila Finch, currently on display at the Elliott Fouts Gallery, illustrate this point clearly. Nunes’ paintings are direct and lush, relying on the basic beauty found in nature to drive his compositions, whereas Finch’s work leans a little toward unnaturally bright colors and quick brushstrokes, heading down the path of abstraction, but calling on the feel of light in nature for its strength. While not a groundbreaking avant-garde show, these paintings draw power from tradition and do the genre justice in the process. New Paintings by Manuel Nunes and Sheila Finch at the Elliott Fouts Gallery, 4120 Douglas Blvd., No. 305, Granite Bay, continues through May 6.