Earl McBride

SMILE
June 14 – August 9

An art gallery with a dimly lit corridor displaying paintings on white walls, featuring an exhibition titled "Earl McBride - SMILE.
An abstract painting displayed in an art gallery, featuring bold black lines and vibrant colors including yellow, red, and blue on a white background. A smaller painting is visible in the background to the right.
A spacious art gallery with wood flooring, displaying colorful paintings on white walls, illuminated by ceiling lights. A bench is situated in the center of the room.
Two abstract paintings displayed in a gallery: one large and one small, both featuring vibrant, chaotic brushstrokes on a beige wall with soft lighting.
Two abstract paintings displayed on a gallery wall. The smaller one on the left features vibrant colors and the larger one on the right is dominantly black with colored streaks.
Two abstract paintings displayed on a gallery wall, one featuring vibrant scribbles and shapes on a light background, the other predominantly in black and white with graffiti-style elements.
Two paintings on a gray gallery wall, one large abstract with vivid colors on the left, and a small traditional painting on the right, each illuminated by overhead lights.
An art gallery room with dim lighting showcasing three abstract paintings on white walls, and a reflective table in the foreground.
Abstract black and white monoprint featuring smeared patterns, drips, and circular shapes resembling a stylized face with a smile. The artwork has a raw, emotive expression with a focus on texture and contrast.
Abstract painting featuring chaotic, scribble-like lines and shapes in black, blue, and yellow on a pale background, with two star-like forms at the top and vibrant accents throughout.
Abstract artwork with vibrant, scribbled lines in black, orange, and yellow on a white background, featuring a prominent green and red vertical form, suggestive of a loose, flowing composition.
Abstract painting featuring a dark, shadowy central figure with vague humanoid features, surrounded by chaotic strokes of vibrant colors on a predominantly black background.
Abstract painting featuring chaotic swirls of multicolored scribbles and bold black strokes over a faintly visible architectural sketch, with a white background.
Abstract graffiti art with white and grey spray paint swirls on a textured dark background, creating a chaotic and expressive design.
Colorful abstract graffiti on a wall, featuring vibrant swipes and splashes of paint in various colors and forms, creating a dynamic and expressive composition.
Abstract painting featuring bold brush strokes in black, yellow, red, and blue on a textured surface, with spots and splashes of paint creating a dynamic composition.
Abstract painting featuring vivid, chaotic brush strokes with elements resembling skeletal figures against a bright, multicolored background.
Abstract colorful artwork featuring dynamic spray paint strokes in black, white, and vibrant hues of blue, green, orange, and red, on a soft pastel background.

Press Release

Richard Levy Gallery is pleased to present SMILE, a selection of mixed media paintings by Earl McBride. These abstract paintings are an expression of McBride’s personal distress caused by the current political climate.

In SMILE, McBride questions whether smiling really signifies happiness. In an era of selfies and social media, McBride is not concerned with creating an illusion of happiness through his paintings but rather confronting the prevalent current of despair. For him the layers of mark-making address the emotional turmoil of living in Trump’s America.

McBride’s large-scale paintings are bold and impulsive. Using spray paint, lithography grease pencils, thick oil paint straight from the tube, colored pencil, graphite, gold and silver dust, and enamel marker, McBride transforms each blank surface into fields of discordant colors and shapes.

Receiving his bachelor’s degree from Otis College of Art and Design, McBride spent many years working in art galleries before graduate studies in painting and drawing at the University of New Mexico. He has exhibited in Los Angeles, Albuquerque, and Santa Fe. McBride currently lives and works in Albuquerque.

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 @earlxmcbride #smile #earlmcbride #richardlevygallery

Dates: June 14–August 9, 2019
Reception: June 22, 6–8 pm
Hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 11 am–4 pm
Location: 514 Central Avenue SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102
Contact: 505.766.9888, info@levygallery.com, www.levygallery.com @levygallery

Artwork and Information
Earl McBride