Image credit: Brian Comber, LIGHT FINDS A PLACE (detail), 2023, Watercolor on paper. Represented by Walker Fine Art. Image courtesy of the artist.

Brian Comber: Reverie
March 25-August 18, 2024 @ Frasier

Reverie is a collection of watercolors and etchings by Brian Comber that highlight the vibrancy of nature and the excitement of botanic rebirth. Taking inspiration from his surroundings and beloved garden, Comber grounds his compositions in a number of forms, like an unusual vase or a gauzy lily petal. By integrating printmaking and watercolor, he creates paintings that layer positive and negative space and captivate the eye with color, balance, and experimental techniques.  

Comber describes watercolor as the most challenging and dynamic medium in his practice. Informed by color and guided by chance, watercolors are unforgiving and require him to be completely present and to know exactly when to stop and walk away. As he notes, “You can add, but you cannot subtract.” Drawing on his background in print-making, Comber incorporates wax resist methods into his watercolor practice. This allows him to push the boundaries of traditional techniques and achieve intricate detail and nuanced texture in his works.

Reverie includes six etchings of mythological creatures inspired by descriptions in The Book of Imaginary Beings by Jorge Luis Borges (1957). Comber created these works using a two-plate process, underscoring his background and expertise as a printmaker, which heavily influenced his shift into watercolor. The featured etchings are: The Garuda, The Moon Hare, The Buraq, The Peryton, The Chimera, and A Spherical Being. 

Opening Reception - free & open to the public
6:00 - 7:30pm public reception
6:30pm Q&A with the artist

Exhibition runs from March 25 to August 18, 2024 and is open to the general public Tuesday - Sunday from 11am - 5pm.

BMoCA at Frasier is a collaboration between Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art and Frasier Retirement Community. Curated by BMoCA, this series of exhibitions in The Canyons Gallery is an extension of the museum’s exhibition schedule. Each exhibition is complemented by a series of education programs.