Project Description

b. 1961, Newport Beach, CA

The surfaces of Jimi Gleason’s paintings have always responded to both the light and space of the environment they are in.  Working with shimmery pearlescent paint, he carefully builds up layers that shift subtly.  Many of his works feature densely worked edges framing largely vacant centers, to keep the focus firmly on the quality of the color and light and on the viewer’s own perception of them.  While his works seem to derive from color field painting or contemporary abstraction, Gleason’s inspiration for his approach came from photography.  “Being a painter in SoHo, in the late ‘80s, I kept seeing these Cibachrome prints, big shiny photos.  I wanted to bring some of that back into painting, to steal it back,” Gleason said.  He was especially intrigued by the texture of Polaroid snapshots.  “What I liked about the Polaroids was the edges, the way the emulsion got squishy, that melted quality.  That’s a big part of where hey began, where the edges came into play.”  The reflective property of the material play with color and light according to the work’s surroundings and the viewer’s perspective; nuances of texture, color, and tone emerge and shift through that interaction. 

Jimi Gleason’s work is included in the collections of Dakota Studios, New York; Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, Los Angeles, CA; Hilton Headquarters, McLean, VA; Sun America, Kaufman Broad Home Corporation, Los Angeles, CA; as well as numerous private collections.  Jimi Gleason lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. 

EDUCATION
1985-1986
MFA, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA
1985
BFA, University of California, Berkley, CA
 
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023
Chromatic Realm, Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2022
Mark MooreFine Are, Orange, CA
2022
William Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2019
William Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018
Silver & Pearl, Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2017
Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2017
William Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2016
William Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015
William Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2015
Silver Deposit, R.B. Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2014
Toomey-Tourell Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
2013
Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2012
Silver Deposit Paintings, R.B. Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2011
Samuel Freeman, Los Angeles, CA
2010
Works on paper, Philadelphia, PA
2010
LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2009
Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2009
Toomey-Tourell Fine ART, San Francisco, CA
2009
Samuel Freeman, Los Angeles, CA
2008
Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2007
Patricia Faure Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2007
Toomey-Tourell Fine ART, San Francisco, CA
2007
Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2006
RB Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2006
LewAllen Gallery Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2006
Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2006
Kidder-Smith Gallery, Boston, MA
2005
Patricia Faure Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2005
Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2005
Works on paper, Philadelphia, PA
2005
LewAllen Gallery Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2005
Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2005
Toomey-Tourell Fine ART, San Francisco, CA
2004
Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2004
Kidder-Smith Gallery, Boston, MA
2004
Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2003
Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2003
New Urban Art, Phoenix, AZ
2002
Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1999
Ewdard Giardina Contemporary Art, Santa Anna, CA
1994
Dakota Studio, New York, NY
1992
637 Gallery, New York, NY
1990
SFA, New York, NY
1988
The World, New York, NY
1987
Clancy Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA
 
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023
90 Degrees, SCAPE, Corona Del Mar, CA
2023
Beneath the Surface, Art Source Ohio, New Breman, OH
2023
Annual Group Exhibition, Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2022
Ohana, Scape Gallery, Corona Del Mar, CA
2022
Harmonic Refraction, RB Stev
2022
Sightlines, Melissa Morgan Fine Art, Palm Desert, CA
2022
Multiple Insights, RB Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2021
Color Theory, Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2020
Annual Group Exhibition, Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2019
Pacific States, RB Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2019
Kamakazi, Post, Los Angeles, CA
2019
Grand Opening, MMFA, Palm Desert, CA
2018
The Abstract Power Show, Coagula, Los Angeles, CA
2017
Los Angeles Painting: Formalism to Street Art, curated by Andi Campognone, Bruno David Gallery, ST. Louis, MO
2017
California Dreaming, Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, Pepperdine, CA
2017
3 Ways, R.B. Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2016
Psychedelic Tendencies, Melissa Morgan Fine Art, Palm Desert, CA
2014
Green Heaven, R.B. Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2014
LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe NM
2014
Skin Deep, William Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2013
Gold Rush, Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2013
THICK, R.B. Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2012
MIXED MEDIA, R.B. Stevenson Gallery, La Jollan, CA
2011
Winter Group Show, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2010
Elements of Nature: Selections from the Frederick R. Weismann Art Foundation, Carnegie Art Museum, Oxnard, CA
2009
Well Tempered, RB Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2009
A Three Legged Table, Samuel Freeman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2009
The New Irascibles, AC Projects, Pamona, CA
2009
East/West, Royale Projects, Palm Desert, CA
2009
Gallery Artists, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2009
The Surface Space II, Phantom Gallery, Long Beach, CA
2008
2332, Huntington Bach Art Center, Huntington Beach, CA
2008
Ten, Toomey-Tourell Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
2008
Liquid Light, MODAA, Culver City, CA
2008
Supermarket, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2008
The Surface of Space, Pharmaka Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2007
In Focus, Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA
2007
Reprise, RB Stevenson Galler, La Jolla, CA
2007
Liquid Light, dba Gallery 256, Pomona, CA
2007
An Eclectic Eye: Selections from the Dan Leach Collection, Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ
2007
West Coast Abstraction, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2007
Selected Works, RB Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2007
Pink, Soho Myriad, Atlanta, GA
2007
Pallette to Palate, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA
2006
Abstraction Reduced to White, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2006
One Shot, LA X ART, Los Angeles, CA
2006
Summer Group Show, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2006
Nice Work if You Can Get It, Mandarin Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2006
Pink III, Arena One Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2006
Jimi Gleason and Thomas Zitwitz, RB Stevenson Gallery, La Jolla, CA
2006
Grey Scale, Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2005
Incognito, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA
2005
Abstract Los Angeles, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA
2005
Mass {RE}Production, College of Santa Fe, NM
2005
20/20 Visions, I-5 Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2005
Pink, Patricia Faure Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2005
Small Works Exhibit, LewAllen Contemporary, NM
2004
Big & Holy, Cartelle Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2004
BIG, Toomey-Tourell Fine Art, 511 Harrison, San Francisco, CA
2004
The OsCene, Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA
2004
Twentieth Anniversary Show, Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2004
Ed Moses and Jimi Gleason, Huntington Beach Art Center, Huntington Beach, CA
2004
Abstract Los Angeles, Soho Myriad Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2004
Heavens Gonna Burn Your Eyes, Cartelle Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2004
Modes and Methods, Contemporary Art Museum, Amarillo, Texas
2004
Pink, Cartelle Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2004
White on White, Patricia Faure Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2003
Painting Today, The Art Institute of California Orange County, Santa Ana, CA
2003
9th Annual Holiday Group Show, Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2003
Black and White, Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2003
SOULdiers, SCA Gallery, Pomona, CA
2003
Art X, Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
2002
No Pictures Here-Non-Objective Painting from Los Angeles, dA Center For The Arts, Pomona, CA
2002
California Dream, Museum I Magli, Sarezzo (Brescia), Italy
2002
California Dream, Museum Forno Fusoria, Tavernole (Brescia), Italy
2002
Minimal Works, ANDLAB Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2002
8th Annual Holiday Group Show; Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2001
Rising Tide, Southern California Abstraction 2001, Orange County Center for Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA
2001
Group Show, Irvine Fine Arts Center, Irvine, CA
2001
7th Annual Holiday Group Show, Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2000
10 Degrees of Abstraction, Biola University Gallery, La Mirada, CA
2000
Emulsion, POST, Los Angeles, CA
2000
Group Show, Andrew-Shire Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2000
Black and White, Splendid, Brooklyn, NY
2000
Nice work if you can get it, Holly Matter Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA
2000
The Spurgeon Experience II, Santa Ana, CA
2000
New Drawings, Edward Giardina Contemporary Art, Santa Ana, CA
1999
The Spurgeon Experience, Santa Ana, CA
1998
Drawings, Chimeat Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
1998
Group Show, POST, Los Angeles, CA
1997
L.A. Current View: New View, Art Rental and Sales Gallery, Armand Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA
1997
Group Show, POST, Los Angeles, CA
1993
Tres Colores, The Apartment House, Los Angeles, CA
1992
Made In New York, Koven Fine Art, New York, NY
1992
Alphabet City Drawings, SFA, New York, NY
1991
New Paintings, Dakota Studio, New York, NY
1989
Two from New York, West End Gallery, Portland, ME
1987
Oaktown Drawings, Tony Venegas Gallery, Oakland, CA
1986
Fort Point, Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute, SF, CA
1984
Student Show, Worth Ryder Gallery, U.C. Berkeley, CA
 
SELECTED COLLECTIONS

Michael and Liz Axelrod, Phoenix, AZ
Glenn Schaeffer, Las Vegas, NV
Sun America / Kaufman Broad Home Corporation, Los Angeles, CA
Larry Bell, Venice, CA
Joe Goode, Venice, CA
David C. Copely, La Jolla, CA
Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, Los Angeles, CA.
The Dan Leach Collection, Tucson, AZ.
Dakota Studios, New York, NY
Mitch and Linda Katz, Laguna Beach, CA
Ed Moses, Venice, CA
Tony and Kathy DeLap, Corona Del Mar, CA
Gajin Fujita, Los Angeles, CA
The Voit Companies, Newport Beach, CA
The MGM Grand, Detroit, Michigan
Tony Venegas, Los Angeles, CA
Howard and Jan Hendler, Phoenix, AZ
Dominic and Jennifer Surprenant, Malibu, CA
Grant LeDuc, New York, NY
Rick Gennett, West Chester, PA
Beryl Cowley, Beverly Hills, CA
Dave and Marion Peterson, Minneapolis, MN
Pietro Monopoli, Pavia, Italy
Heather Harmon, Santa Monica, CA
Mitch Coodley, New York, NY
Kenneth and Guadalupe McKenzie, Brooklyn, NY
Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV
Hilton HQ, McLean, VA
MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
2021
A Bright New Bold Show, Artnet Gallery Network, February
2016
Wood, Eve. Killer Pick of the Week, Artillery Magazine, February
2014
Roth, David. Jimi Gleason at Toomey-Tourell, Square Cylinder, May
2011
Roth, David. Jimi Gleason at Toomey-Tourell, Square Cylinder, September
2011
Baker, Kenneth. Gleason tilts between fresh, flash, San Francisco Chronicle, September
2011
Pagel, David. A Cornucopia of Delights, Los Angeles Times, April
2010
Vosough, Roxana. The Art of Chromatics, OC Arts & Culture, November
2010
Walsh, Daniella. Chromatics, Riviera Magazine, November
2010
Vosough, Roxana. Artist Spotlight: Jimi Gleason, OC Arts & Culture, November
2010
Abatemarco, Michael. Visions that Vary by Vantage, Pasatiempo, February
2010
Grenda, Anastasia. Artist Spotlight, Orange Coast Magazine, January
2009
Pincus, Robert. Quartet of Soloists at La Jolla Gallery, San Diego UnionTribune, November
2009
Baker, Kenneth. Jimmy Gleason at Toomey-Tourell, San Francisco Chronicle, October
2009
Davies, Stacy. West/East, Artslant, Los Angeles, April
2008
Walsh, Daniella. 2332, ArtScene, Vol. 28, No. 3, November
2007
No Colors Anymore, Riviera Magazine, January
2007
Centering techniques, Boston Globe, January
2007
Walsh, Daniella. Shades of Grey, Orange County Register, January
2007
Artist Profile, Art Ltd. Magazine, September
2007
Baker, Kenneth. Rough around the Edges, San Francisco Chronicle, September
2006
Daydreamers. San Diego Union-Tribune, June
2006
Bold reflections of nature and light, Orange County Register, September
2005
Gallery Row, Fine Art After hours, OC Metro, March
2005
Orange County, Where Magazine
2005
The Layered Look comes to Color Field Painting, The Philadelphia Inquirer
2005
OC’s Blue Chip Artists, Coast Magazine, October
2005
Artist see white, Orange County Register, December
2005
Pagel, David. Liquid Light, Los Angeles Times
2004
Big & Holy, Cartelle Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, Catalog
2004
Elegance in the Abstract, Visual Art Show, Orange County Register
2004
Inaugural Exhibition, Calendar, Los Angeles Times, May
2003
Los Angeles Painter at New Urban Art, Phoenix New Times
2003
Jimi Gleason at Ruth Bachofner, Artweek, Volume 34, Issue 9, November
2002
STILE arte, Anno VII N. 62, 15 Ottobre-15 Novembre
2002
California Dream, Catalog, Museum Forno Fusoria, Tavernole (Brescia), Italy
2001
Collective Painters, Appearances, Number 27
1994
Local, Los Angeles Times, April

art ltd. – Jimi Gleason
While many painters attempt to transcend the limitations of the pictorial plane, Gleason’s work exudes an ethereal delicacy and ineffability that is very much his own. Working with shimmery pearlescent paint, he carefully builds up layers that shift subtly with the changing light. Many of his works in recent years have featured densely worked edges framing largely vacant centers, to keep the focus firmly on the quality of the color and light and on the viewer’s own perception of them.