(SANTA ANA, CA) – Artist Brad Neal brings mixed media artwork to John Wayne Airport, featuring watercolor and ink line drawings that capture the essential character and architectural detail of the environments he creates. His work is on display in the Thomas F. Riley Terminal as part of the JWA Community Focus Space through May 20, 2021.
Formerly an architect with a 40-year career, Neal begins his drawing process with a rough pencil or ink sketch, refined on watercolor paper to build shape and value. He then uses watercolor and opaque gouache to add color highlights and reinforce light and dark values. The final result is a mix of media balanced with textural definition and detail with the transparent color and spontaneity of watercolor in the drawing.
LIFEGUARD TOWER, LAGUNA BEACH, Watercolor over ink on paper, 2017
MUSEE D'ORSAY CAFE COMPANA, PARIS, Watercolor over ink on paper, 2019
NUBBLE LIGHT, YORK, MAINE, Watercolor over ink on paper, 2020
ON TIME IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, Watercolor over ink on paper, 2019
THE PANTHEON, ROME, Watercolor over ink on paper, 2018
"My art is grounded in realism and influenced by the subjects and suggestive line work in Whistler's etchings and watercolor art of Homer, Sargent, and Wyeth," said Neal. "I try to reveal the structure and geometry of urban and natural landscapes with the play of light, the balance of color and texture, organization of space and form, and how people use and animate an environment."
Neal's subjects include familiar places in and around Orange County, CA, and favorite points of interest he discovered while traveling over the years as an architect both domestically and abroad. After retiring in 2014, Neal followed his lifelong interest in the arts and attended Laguna College of Art + Design, where he received a Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Drawing and Design.
Neal has exhibited his artwork at numerous juried shows, including the Laguna Beach Festival of Arts, Orange County Museum of Art, California Art Club, and the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association. His work is also on display at the Studio 7 Gallery in Laguna Beach. To learn more about Bradley Neal and view additional pieces of his art, visit www.bradnealstudio.com.
Neal's exhibit may be viewed (pre-security) on the Departure (upper) Level near security screening areas in Terminals A, B, and C and on the Arrival (lower) Level adjacent to Baggage Carousels 1 and 4.
For more information about the John Wayne Airport Arts Program, visit https://www.ocair.com/travelers/dine-shop-relax/relax/arts-program.