Here at the Gallery this Saturday, May 6 from 1 to 4, we’ll host an opening reception for “Paul Kratter: View Through the Trees”. It was twenty years ago that Paul Kratter came in to the old Emeryville shop to frame some of his recent paintings. 
Paul was in transition from an impressive career in commercial illustration, and had started exploring plein air landscape painting. Won over by these works, I offered to display them in our little showroom. Two decades on, we’re an established art gallery and Paul has risen to the highest ranks of today’s landscape painters, consistently winning awards in plein air events and earning coverage in national art magazines.
Paul’s been featured in many of our exhibits—including every one of our annual all-gallery “Beloved California” shows—but this twenty year anniversary felt like the time to celebrate the artist with a show of his own. The show includes almost forty works.
A deep observer of his native state’s oaks, bays, redwoods, eucalyptus, sycamores, cypress, and pines, Paul has long had a love for painting trees. (His teaching video, “Mastering Trees,” released by Streamline in 2019, has contributed to his serious cred among painters). That love may help explain the strong affinity Holton Studio has enjoyed with Paul’s work. Our shared love of trees and wood, and the natural harmony between paintings of trees and wooden frames, have produced a very happy collaboration.
The piece we framed to feature for the show’s postcard and publicity is a good example. We set “Foggy Trail, Sibley Park, Oakland” (at left) in a 2-1/2″ wide carved and fumed quarter sawn white oak frame with a carved and gilded liner.
We feel awfully grateful just to get to look at Paul’s work ever day, never mind the privilege of framing it. And what’s even better? Hosting a one man show for the artist, including an opening reception to raise a glass to our great friend, his achievements, and two decades of collaboration!
Again, please join us for the opening of “Paul Kratter: View Through the Trees” this Saturday, May 6 from 1 to 4. The show runs through June 10.
All of the paintings—nearly forty!—will also be viewable and available for purchase online, both on our main site, here, and on our e-commerce site, here.
A few more examples from the show—
P.S. Primarily a show of landscapes, “View Through the Trees” will include a couple prime examples of another subject matter Paul’s long been passionate about. What is that? Here’s a clue from Paul’s bio:
« Back to BlogAs a young child, Paul loved to draw. It was an entry into the San Francisco Chronicle’s weekly drawing contest and a subsequent win that verified he was an artist. His prize, a ticket to the San Francisco Zoo, inspired his love for animals and ignited his lifelong passion to represent them in his art.