Robert Kenton Nelson (b. 1954), "Shadowed House"

Robert Kenton Nelson
(b. 1954)
"Shadowed House"
Oil on Masonite
Signed lower right: R.Kenton Nelson; titled by repute
24" H x 36" W
Provenance:
Montgomery Gallery, San Francisco, CA

Other Notes:
R. Kenton Nelson is a contemporary American painter renowned for his stylized depictions of mid-century life in Southern California. His work blends nostalgia with narrative realism, drawing from American Scene painting, Regionalism, and inspiration from WPA-era mural artists.

The Mexican artist and muralist Roberto Montenegro, Nelson's great-uncle, in particular, had a profound impact on the artist's early work. One of the first artists to be involved in the Mexican muralist movement following the Mexican Revolution, Montenegro was a contemporary of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Nelson studied at California State University, Long Beach, and the Otis College of Art and Design. Before transitioning to fine art in the 1990s, Nelson spent nearly two decades as a graphic designer and illustrator, experiences that continue to inform his precise line work and bold compositions.

Nelson's paintings are characterized by their idealized portrayals of everyday Americana figures, architecture, and objects each with their own unique balance of light and shadow. His style evokes the aesthetics of 1930s American Regionalists and Mexican muralists, while also reflecting the influence of advertising and cinema from the 1950s. He describes his approach as "idolizing the ordinary" aiming to present the world as he envisions it.

Throughout his career, Nelson has exhibited extensively both in the United States and internationally, with shows at renowned venues including Peter Mendenhall Gallery, the Pasadena Museum of California Art, Gerald Peters Gallery in New York, and Galerie Nikolaus Ruzicska in Austria.

Still actively painting in Southern California, Nelson remains dedicated to his craft, producing paintings that invite viewers into a world of refined beauty and timeless elegance.

Visual: Overall good condition.

Blacklight: No evidence of restoration.

Frame: 27.75" H x 39.75" W x 2" D Condition reports are offered as a courtesy and are typically published in Moran's catalogue or can be made available upon request. The absence of a condition report does not imply that an item is free from defects or restoration, nor does a reference to particular defects imply the absence of others. Buyers are responsible for determining to their own satisfaction the true nature and condition of any lot prior to bidding. Though buyers are not legally required to inspect lots prior to purchase, failure to do so may constitute a waiver of complaint that an item was not delivered in a condition equal to the existent condition at the auction.