Harry Underwood: A History of Wishful Thinking

_{Yard Dog Art Gallery
1510 S. Congress Ave
September 7 – October 14}

Some paintings challenge the viewer like a Cracker Barrel brainteaser. Others are utterly transporting, like a new vista on a long road trip. Harry Underwood’s work, featured at Yard Dog this month, falls into the latter category. His scenes become a swift current of nostalgia, yanking us to a small-town diner where locals feel like family, and the smells of home-cooked meals float through the air. Or we are filled with warm pictures of summer days long past, the sun-kissed girls in corset swimsuits lined up along the pool.

Through pencil, latex paint and wood, the self-taught painter and Florida native creates vibrant, timeless scenes that beckon. When creating his pieces, Underwood says that he often reflects on his past, drawing from his experiences to build a slightly altered version of reality. “It is sort of like when you’re dreaming of a place that you know very well,” says Underwood, “However, in dreams, there are always doors or colors that are not accurate. So I am using substitutes.” The interpretation of a memory, Underwood’s work suggests, can be just as indelible as the memory itself.

“Harry Underwood: A History of Wishful Thinking” opens Sept. 7 and runs until Oct. 14. The opening reception is Sept. 10, 7-9 p.m.