“Trajectories of light spin through a gauze of foliage. Silhouetted trees precipitously edge against singular grey-blue skies. Tiers of shadowy undergrowth move and spill, signalling inscrutable biological activity.”

Recent paintings by Merrick Belyea reflect on environmental concerns and mankind’s curious appetite for destruction. Paring back the veneer of previously prepared paint layers reveals the detritus of process and the fragility of surface. The resultant muted tones uncover a fading memory of Arcadia and the abandonment of utopian ideals.