Lauren Powell Presents:

~ JD Raenbeau ~

The Pursuit of Love (on paper)

Delighted to present these enchanting, sentimental yet sincere, semi-self-portraiture scenes of the fusion of man, nature, love, and lust by the exquisite JD Raenbeau. While traditionally working at a larger scale in deeply detailed and hyper realistic colored pencil drawings, this new body of work is titled ‘The Pursuit of Love’ in reference to both formal and conceptual qualities of Jean Honoré Fragonard’s florid ‘Progress of Love’ paintings. Bursting with lush and opulent flora and fauna, the figures sprinkled within feel both hidden and seen as limbs, flowers, genitals, and branches morph into and out of each other. An avid gardener himself, Raenbeau knows first hand the magical results of nurturing and tending to nature - using his own garden created with his partner at their Long Island home as infinite inspiration and the setting for these dramatizations of their love for both each other and the fruits of their labor. Relationships (along with nature on this earth), are evolving and ever changing, and you can feel this through his broad, carefree marks emphasized with vibrant, luscious colors and a talent for depicting light that is unmatched. The images feel playful and free, much like the intimacy portrayed by the partners in each scene. Together, we are more than just the sum of our parts, and perhaps nature is the secret ingredient that keeps our human relationships rewarding us with new growth every spring. I certainly can not disagree.

“Inspired by 18th century Rococo paintings of lovers in nature, I aim to pay tribute to the celebration and pursuit of love, but reframe love and sex as nature itself.” ~ JD Raenbeau

Learn more about JD’s work here: https://www.jdraenbeau.com/ .

JD Raenbeau is a Long Island based visual artist and art educator with a background in painting. His current interdisciplinary practice fuses painting, drawing, photography, performative video, and interactive installation. He is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts MFA Art Practice program receiving the Paula Rhodes Memorial award for Exceptional Achievement in Art Practice. He has exhibited in New York City, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and New Mexico, and was featured in New American Paintings.