The Four Corners Series of Francis R. Hewitt

May 17 - September 18, 2005
Wolcott Gallery

Native Vermonter Frank Hewitt obtained his university education out of state and received recognition as an artist and educator before returning to Vermont in 1970 to become associate professor of art at UVM. The Four Corners Series signals his return and the imaginative exploration of Vermont he began at that time.

This series consists of four large canvases, each defining a specific land area: the Hewitts’ hilltop retreat, Corinth town and Orange County, in which the property is located, and the state of Vermont. In the separate quadrants of each work, Hewitt applied paint that he made from samples of dirt taken from the four corners of the defined area. The effect is subtle and engaging. Art historian William Lipke has called these abstract works “Presentational” landscapes because they exhibit the actual material of the land, instead of its likeness.

We hope that the exhibition of this series, shown for the first time since 1971, will bring a renewed appreciation of its significance within the contexts of the artist’s work and the history of 20th–century American art. Thanks to the generosity of Karen Hewitt we are able to present these little-known paintings created by her late husband.

SPECIAL EVENT: Join us on June 5th for a discussion with three members of Burlington's art community as they share their insights about the creation of the Four Corners Series and how it defined Vermont in new ways.