Earl McBride

I Used To Be A Rainbow
April 7 – May 19

An Earl McBride art gallery interior with abstract paintings displayed on white walls, illuminated by ceiling spotlights. A bench and blue chairs provide seating in the space.
An art gallery corner featuring a wall with the text "Earl McBride - i used to be a rainbow" and another wall displaying three abstract art pieces.
A spacious art gallery displaying abstract paintings by Earl McBride on white walls, illuminated by soft overhead lighting, with one painting prominently featured in the foreground.
Art gallery corridor displaying a row of colorful, modern painted canvases by Earl McBride, with various abstract and figurative designs, illuminated by wall lights.
People at an art gallery viewing various paintings by Earl McBride and engaging in conversation. The room is brightly lit and features a modern design.
A woman with her hair tied up, wearing a striped shirt and carrying a shoulder bag, views a vibrant, abstract Earl McBride painting in an art gallery.
A man with gray hair using a digital camera to take a photo in an art gallery filled with people viewing various artworks by Earl McBride.
A man and woman engaging in conversation at an Earl McBride art gallery opening, surrounded by other guests and vibrant artwork on the walls.
Two walls in an art gallery displaying different styles of artwork: the left wall features a series of black and white comic strip panels, while the right wall showcases a colorful abstract painting.
Abstract, colorful painting with textured strokes and shapes, combining vibrant and muted tones, and featuring some discernible forms that evoke natural elements and scribbles.
Abstract painting featuring chaotic lines and splashes of colors like red, green, and yellow on a white background, with faint sketches and layered textures.
Abstract painting featuring vibrant, multicolored patterns at the center with chaotic lines and shapes on a predominantly white background.
Colorful abstract graffiti on a wall, featuring a symmetrical design with curved lines in red, green, blue, and white, and dripping yellow paint creating a smiling face pattern.
Abstract painting featuring vibrant, chaotic swirls and shapes in multiple colors with dynamic black and white sketches, creating an energetic and visually complex composition.
Abstract painting featuring fluid shapes and lines in black, white, and bursts of red and blue, creating a dynamic and ambiguous form on a light background.
Abstract painting featuring a dynamic composition of chaotic, multicolored brush strokes and lines centering around a large, dark triangular form on a light, textured background.
Abstract mixed-media artwork featuring layers of bold, textured paint strokes, spray paint, and collaged elements in a vibrant, chaotic composition.
Abstract painting featuring an array of chaotic lines, shapes, and symbols in multiple colors on a white background, including stars and geometric figures.
Abstract painting featuring a colorful explosion of paint splatters and butterfly shapes emerging from a black silhouette of a shelf on a white background.
Abstract painting with dynamic, swirling forms and splashes of vibrant colors on a light, textured background, featuring energetic brush strokes and diverse shapes.
Abstract painting depicting isolated and simplified shapes including a human-like figure in action, with elements in various colors on a plain light background.
Abstract painting featuring bold, textured strokes and squiggles in various colors including green, brown, black, and white on a roughly textured canvas.
Abstract painting featuring swirls of vibrant colors in thick textures, creating dynamic, intertwining patterns against a neutral background. Various paint applications give a sense of depth and motion.
Abstract painting with vibrant swaths of yellow, pink, and red, featuring fluid, organic shapes and drips. Dark smudges and a spot resembling an eye add a surreal touch to the composition.
Abstract painting featuring intricate, layered patterns with earthy green, beige, and white colors, creating a dynamic, textured appearance.

Press Release

Richard Levy Gallery is pleased to present I Used To Be A Rainbow, an exhibition of paintings by Earl McBride. McBride’s abstract works are rooted in storytelling. By using various mark-making tools he presents an exploration of identity and transformation.

Growing up in the South in white, black, and gay culture, McBride cites white cotton, black tar, Sunday whites, gospel music, the Runaways, Boy George, rainbow stickers, and disco balls as his early inspiration. His childhood art hero was Don Martin, a cartoonist for Mad Magazine. He learned to draw by studying Mad, Cracked Magazine, and illustrations from the Bible. Interested in contradictions and the poetry of the human condition, McBride uses paint to describe dualities like ugly and beautiful, viscous and dry, oily and flat, thick and smooth, observer and participant, comedy and pathos, male and female, and negative and positive space.

McBride’s large-scale paintings are theatrical and unmeditated. Using spray paint, lithography grease pencils, thick oil paint straight from the tube, colored pencil, graphite, asphalt, and enamel marker, McBride transforms wooden panels into fields of discordant colors and shapes that look like both brash decisions and restrained calculated thoughts.

Receiving his bachelor’s degree from Otis College of Art and Design, McBride spent many years working in art galleries before studying painting and drawing at the University of New Mexico Graduate Program. He moved to New Mexico from LA thirteen years ago for the fresh energizing air and the availability of studio space. He has exhibited in Los Angeles, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe.

Images for this exhibition can be found on our website www.levygallery.com. High-resolution images are available on request. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook: @levygallery

Dates: April 7 – May 19, 2017
Reception: April 22, 6–8 pm
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 11:00–4:00 pm
Location: 514 Central Avenue SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102

Artwork and Information
Earl McBride