James McDonald is an Indiana painter who creates moody and evocative landscapes based on his ideas of the effect of nature and light on the human psyche. His compositions, all drawn from memory, usually depict the transitory states of dawn or dusk. They are all small scale, and demand intimate viewing. On first encounter, his landscapes appear to be the product of another era, rich and lyrical renderings of idealized country twilight. Viewers are generally drawn in by the familiarity of these scenes, and then realize that they've entered a surreal world of flat planes, glowing skies and deep shadows. McDonald's visions exclude all evidence of the human presence, save for some distant, unexplained glowing lights, as in "Evening's Prelude". His images seem to be places of refuge, but offer no shelter. Instead, they're intended to be catalysts for releasing one's soul from the confines and commitments of everyday life. In this respect, McDonald's work evokes a sublime response by first appealing to our collective subconscious. His images are contemporary objects of meditation.
