Staff
Local artist Rick J. Delanty is set to become a published author in May, when he will release his first book, Beauty Unites Us, Paintings and Inspiration—a portfolio featuring more than 50 oil and acrylic paintings, as well as a collection of short essays.
The book will be released on May 4 at the opening of Delanty’s solo exhibition at the Casa Romantica Cultural Center and Gardens, where the exhibition will run through June 6. The artist will also be present for book-signing.
While selecting the paintings for the book, Delanty included scenes from Big Sur to Niagara Falls, focusing on subjects that spoke to him, he explained in a press release. Other paintings include sunset in the Utah desert, a rushing river in Yosemite, and a moment of serenity on Hawaii’s horizon, to list a few.
“My overall inspiration for this work is from the scriptural first chapter of the book of Romans, that God’s divine attributes can be seen in nature, and that His beauty is evidenced in our surroundings, if we just take the time to look for it,” he said in the release.
The short essays accompanying each painting, he noted, reflect different aspects of his search for beauty in the world, despite the hardships, challenging conditions, and the global pandemic over the past year.
“To remain hopeful in the hard times is not only essential for our survival as a species, but is fundamental to our collective soul,” Delanty said in the release. “Beauty is something we can all share, and in doing so celebrate the preciousness of life.”
The 120-page hardcover book will be available through Delanty Studio and Gallery in San Clemente, as well as at the Casa Romantica. Pre-orders are being taken through his website delantyfineart.com.
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story presented the wrong dates for the exhibition at Casa Romantica. The exhibition will run from May 4 through June 6.
Discussion about this post