Jerry McKeehan (Missouri, 1938-2022)

Cadence

Third quarter of the 20th century

This painting and another in this auction are the first of Kansas City artist Jerry McKeehan's larger, more mature works to be offered at auction. Direct from the artist's estate, these were closely held by Jerry and his wife. The composition here is a torrent of brush strokes, thousands of confident one-and-done acrylic paint applications skillfully applied in high relief; a depiction of rushing water cataracts bursting through, around, and over rocks painted from an interesting perspective. The work is signed 'McKeehan' within the image lower right and titled on the folded canvas verso.

The following is from the artist's web site:

Jerry McKeehan received his B.A. with honors from Colorado State University in 1962. Shortly thereafter, Hallmark Cards in Kansas City recruited him as a designer, during which time he studied at the Kansas City Art Institute. He also received a grant from Hallmark to study with watercolorist John Pike in New York.

In 1966, Jerry left Hallmark to devote all his energies to painting and his work at the University of Missouri at Kansas City, and the Kansas City Art Institute. He also served as artist-in-residence for the Missouri Council of the Art.

Jerry has had numerous one-man shows and has been represented in national, regional, and European competitions including the following:

Watercolor USA, Springfield, Missouri.
Centennial Exhibition, The Nelson-Atkins Museum, Kansas City, Missouri.
Annual Exhibition Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio.
Academy of Professional Artists, St. Louis, Missouri.
Ten State Competition, Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, Missouri.
Thirty Miles of Art, Nelson-Atkins Gallery of Art, Kansas City, Missouri.
Ten Missouri Painters, Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, Missouri.
Rochester Festival of Religious Art, Rochester, New York.
La Peinture Contemporaire Dans Les Collections Vaudoises, Lausanne, Switzerland.
The Fine Art Center Competition, Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The National Watercolor Exhibition, Wichita, Kansas.
Unity on The Plaza, Kansas City, Missouri.
Jewish Community Center, Kansas City, Missouri.
Rockhurst College, Kansas City, Missouri.
Hyde Park Gallery, Kansas City, Missouri.
Unitarian Gallery, Kansas City, Missouri.

His work is included in numerous private collections throughout the United States and is represented in the permanent collections of:
Hallmark Incorporated, Kansas City, Missouri.
The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art, St. Joseph, Missouri.
The Springfield Art Museum, Springfield, Missouri.
Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri.
Colorado State University.

Canvas measures 36 x 48, frame size 37.25 x 49.25 inches.

Provenance: The estate of Kansas City artist Jerry McKeehan (1938-2022)

Very good original untouched condition. There are no issues of major scratches, losses, repairs, in-painting or touch-up.