Behind the Sky Painting

Keith Levi is an American abstract painter who lives in Missoula, MT. His work is influenced by René Magritte, Max Ernst, and Salvador Dalí. Levi was born in Berryville, Virginia and attended art school for a short time at Virginia Commonwealth. He called the experience so horrible that he dropped out and didn't paint again for 25 years. When he started painting again, he did so on his own terms. Working with acryllic, Levi masterfully creates his paintings with a time-intensive process. He places 3 to 4 different colors, dries them, and then applies a coat of varnish. His paintings could have upwards to 40 coats of paint. The effect is breathtaking. Levi's paintings have a depth and scale that has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated. Captivating at 10 feet and 10 inches, his paintings unlock details and patterns at both the macro and micro level. The closer or futher you look, the more you see. Pioneering a style called “unabstractification,” Levi takes concepts from a micro, abstract level and transforms them into something recognizable and solid. Levi also explores the fragile veil of reality. Many of his paintings will show a galactic background through holes in the world of the painting.