Sheila Berry
“Kitsune Takes The Bet”, 2015 by Rick Berry, oil on canvas, 20″ x 20″
Storybook… Best Remembered Stories
Modern Eden Gallery, San Francisco
April 25 to May 9, 2015
Rick has an abiding interest in shape-shifters — across all cultures, past and future. Rick is the son of an Air Force pilot and so was raised in a kind of moveable feast of surreal fighter base communities, populated by people with stories from, well, everywhere. His father, fluent in Mandarin, was stationed in China in the late 40’s (as the Communist Revolution climaxed, engaged in a rescue mission, Rick’s father was the first, and only, person to land a plane in the Forbidden City!).
His parents collected art extensively throughout Asia. As such, Rick grew up surrounded by art and tales of China, Japan, the Philippines and elsewhere. Stories of Kitsune, a fox spirit, are part of this. It so happens that his friend (and sometimes collaborator) Neil Gaiman wrote a “new” folklore involving a kitsuné and a monk— Sandman: The Dream Hunters. A beautiful bedtime reading aloud for children. (We had three small ones then; all grown now, meme’s hopefully installed.)
His parents collected art extensively throughout Asia. As such, Rick grew up surrounded by art and tales of China, Japan, the Philippines and elsewhere. Stories of Kitsune, a fox spirit, are part of this. It so happens that his friend (and sometimes collaborator) Neil Gaiman wrote a “new” folklore involving a kitsuné and a monk— Sandman: The Dream Hunters. A beautiful bedtime reading aloud for children. (We had three small ones then; all grown now, meme’s hopefully installed.)
The process of this painting is a story of shape-shifting itself. Beneath it’s surface are several paintings until Kitsune emerged…
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