For five decades, artist James Walsh has pushed the boundaries of what paint can do, transforming acrylic into an ever-expanding dialogue of form and color. From the mid ’70s through the present, Walsh has embraced nearly every acrylic medium created, making each uniquely his own. Now, Relief in Sight at the Sam and Adele Golden Gallery (The SAGG) celebrates this extraordinary journey. James Walsh is an American painter known for works that merge the tactility of relief with the expansive possibilities of color and surface. Central to his practice is an insistence on invention over repetition. Walsh describes his paintings as one-off experiences,” the result of continually testing boundaries of material and form. What follows is not a traditional review, nor even a retrospective. It is, instead, a reflection: on the work, on the artist, and on the enduring value of a life committed to thoughtful making.For the ease of viewing the expanse of Walsh’s work, the exhibition has been divided into three periods. The first, from the 1980s through the early ’90s, includes the one-shot, low relief,” works made all in one go, but less textured. Throughout the ’90s and just into the aughts, we have one-shot, high relief.” After 2004, color, drawing, and texture predominate. The movement, drama, and strength of these paintings can become readily apparent if one is prepared to give these works the time to look. Step inside a lifetime of innovation, discovery, and devotion to the act of painting. You’re invited to explore the exhibition at The SAGG in New Berlin, New York, from September 27 through February 20 and experience the full catalogue online. To learn more, visit thesagg.org.