Dark Mountain, Deep Valley: New Works by Loren Christofferson 

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Painter Loren Christofferson was the subject of this exhibition presented by Arts and Culture El Dorado at the Confidence Firehouse Gallery. Dark Mountain, Deep Valley, was a series of monochromatic paintings and works on paper that dive into the artist's nebulous connection to Yosemite's remarkable landscape.

The exhibition, which evolved from a collaboration with the Scapegoat Collective, features Christofferson’s landscapes that reflect his time immersed in the natural environment.

As he explains, “in the past, I've found that just having the intention to "create" something blocks the [creative] process. So, to have the intention to enjoy being in nature and not putting any expectation on myself to create, I've found, is very freeing. It's not until I get back to the studio that effortlessly and spontaneously images arise."

The works in this series range from traditionally descriptive landscape paintings to heavily abstracted, minimal forms.

Inspired by the Japanese aesthetic concept of Yūgen – an experience of beauty beyond words – Christofferson's series of paintings explores natural beauty in the abstract. Dark Mountain, Deep Valley moved beyond mimesis (representation or imitation of the real world in art and literature) to examine the ineffable experience of being immersed in the Sierra Nevada's immense presence.

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