staats in doghouse
Staats Fasoldt
Saugerties Times
June 10 2004
Dogs and art are not generally thought of as
related subjects, unless you're an enthusiast
of the infamous "Dogs Playing Poker"
genre found in basement dens and kitschy homes.
But if you pay a visit to the newly open Doghouse
Gallery on Phillips Road and Glasco Turnpike in
Saugerties, you'll discover that dogs and art can
co-exist together in perfect harmony.
Artist Staats Fasoldt, a Rosendale native and
founder of the Hudson River Watercolor Society,
is currently exhibiting watercolors at the Dog-
house, and even though few of his paintings feature
anything even remotely dog-related, the small,
cozy gallery is the perfect setting for his simple
and understated works. The gallery is tiny, and
due to an influx of a multitude of Fasoldt's students
and fans, the rooms were barely large enough to
maneuver through without stepping on toes and
elbowing ribs. But the tight squeeze to the top of
the narrow stairs leading to Fasoldt's work is worth
the effort it takes to get there.
Fasoldt's pieces are muted and subdued, like
most watercolor paintings, but unlike other wa-
tercolors, Fasoldt's pieces possess a sharp quality
difficult to achieve with the broad brushstrokes
inherent in watercolor painting. Most works in wa-
tercolor are rounded, soft and somewhat muddy,
while Fasoldt's pieces are simple and clean, "not
unlike a Japanese haiku," expressed one enthusi-
astic fan as he studied Fasoldt's interpretation of
a vase of flowers.
The subjects of Fasoldt's work are often
landscapes, buildings and inanimate objects,
such as the aforementioned
flowers. One may think that an artist
who rarely uses human subjects may
not be terribly good at capturing the
human form. However, as proven by
the nude on exhibit, Fasoldt has no
trouble interpreting the intricate and
complicated contours of the human
body. His work maintains an almost
photographic quality in that he has
an uncanny ability to focus in on
the subject at hand without getting
bogged down in the extraneous details -
surrounding them. And if you've ever taken a good
look at a watercolor painting up close, you know exactly
how difficult a feat this is to accomplish.
Many of those in attendance at the Doghouse
Gallery were Fasoldt's students, which is not
too surprising, since Fasoldt has been teaching
for around 20 years. He is currently teaching at
Woodstock Art School, and his students are clearly
his biggest fans. They clamored to get a word in
with the congenial and soft-spoken artist during
his appearance at the gallery.
Fasoldt's approach to painting is as unique
as his paintings themselves. He explained that
he paints the same subject repeatedly, destroying
unsatisfactory pieces. Fasoldt's explained that he's
"always surprised when one turns out right." If this
is truly the way Fasoldt creates, one must marvel
at how much work he puts into his art.
The constant struggle for one good piece is
perhaps why Fasoldt's art isn't cheap. In fact, the
least expensive piece on exhibit is a somewhat di-
minutive 11-inch by 14-inch painting titled Main
Street, priced at $250, and the most expensive is
his female nude, selling for $1,000. Although his
paintings are worth every penny on the price sheet,
a grand is a little more than most of the average
folk can afford. However, his pieces will be on dis-
play at the Doghouse Gallery for the next month,
so even if you've spent all of your petty cash on
keeping your gas tank full, you can still enjoy the
many fine works on display.
Oh, and if you're curious about the gallery's
name, step into the main gallery. There, a friendly
dog will greet you with a welcoming nose to the
crotch, and you can peruse the antique prints,
drawings, and paintings on display.
Kandy Harris