FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 22, 2010
Contact: Lita Sorensen
Cliff Castle Casino
928-567-7991
E-Mail
WORLD-RENOWNED NATIVE AMERICAN AND WILDLIFE ARTIST DAVID C. BEHRENS RETURNS TO CLIFF CASTLE CASINO-HOTEL
CAMP VERDE, AZ (3-22-10) David C. Behrens, the world-renowned Native American and wildlife artist that has been commissioned for works at the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore is returning to Cliff Castle Casino-Hotel for an appearance. He will be on hand to sign prints of his work at Cliff Castle Casino in Camp Verde on April 9 and 10.
Behrens artwork can be seen at galleries throughout the country. He currently travels coast to coast and exhibits at many prestigious Indian art markets, as well as national parks across the country. He can also be seen regularly in such publications as Southwest Art, Native Peoples, and Art Business News, and has an international following.
As an illustration major at East Carolina University, Behrens made his first connection with Native Americans and their history. Some observers wonder, with his heritage of Sicilian and German lines, how he can so accurately portray a people not his own.
“I remember going to the library to do some research on a painting and stumbling across some old photographs of Native people,” he says. “The profound sense of pride mixed with sadness and longing in their faces spoke so sharply to me that I just could not put my paintbrush to canvas without painting one of these remarkable faces.”
Behren’s love for painting and his passion for pursuing truth emerge each time he starts a new piece. For him, creating what he calls "historically accurate art" is no easy task. Many significant events in Native American history have been lost in our modern day curriculum. "The problem is not so much in the diluting of history, but in the total absence thereof," he said.
His research breaks down into three distinct stages. First, he studies actual accounts from history through the sources of trusted authors such as Dee Brown, author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (1970) and other books detailing the violent relationship between Native Americans and American expansionism of the West. Next, he consults with historical societies to supplement these readings to put everything in context. Finally, he seeks to converse with those who have ancestors who were actually involved in the events he portrays.
Concerning technique, Behren’s dream-like, painted montages are the result of an oil glazing process that dates back to the Early Italian Renaissance. Layers of translucent oil wash are built up, creating a pleasing effect of images fading in and out of their surroundings. To create a sense or organic structure that has become the hallmark of his work, Behrens paints on a surface of gesso mixed with powdered marble. This also increases the luminosity of his paintings.
David C. Behrens will be signing copies of prints at Cliff Castle Casino’s Hunt and Gather Gift Shop on Friday, April 9, from 1-4pm and 6-9pm and Saturday, April 10, noon-6pm. Merchandise and artwork will be available for purchase. Please call Hunt and Gather at (928)567-7997 for more information.
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