Richard Gilkey: A Sampling: 1960s – 1970s

Long before his 1997 suicide, Richard Gilkey’s comet had flashed and burned. His rugged, cloudy-sky paintings were wildly sought after by Seattle’s elite of the 1960s. They captured the moody climate of the Pacific Northwest and its preindustrial farm structures, winding creeks and forlorn vistas. Seeing the stark impastoed landscapes now is like taking a rowboat ride down a gurgling river, with ancient barns and Skagit Valley fields reminding us of life before suburban development.