Bryan Haynes Gallery

Stories On A Larger Scale: Murals "One of the most remarkable caves in Franklin County is known as Labaddie’s Cave. To this cave attaches the most melancholy in...terest of any in this part of the country. It is said that in the early days, just when no one seems now to know, a hunter named Labaddie trailed a bear which he had wounded into this cave. The hunter followed the bear into the cave, under the impression, it may be, that the bear was nearly or quite dead. In after years a gentleman entered the cave, and found the skeletons of the hunter and bear where they had fallen in an unseen but not unequal death struggle, as both had perished. The remains of the lost hunter were not brought out for internment, it being thought the most fitting place for them to rest and molder away was where they were found". So begins the tale of how our little Missouri river town, Labadie got its name, History of Franklin County, written in 1888. At about the same time I discovered this legend, I was asked to create a mural depicting something of local interest for a Labadie establishment. The space demanded a piece twenty feet wide by ten feet tall and therefore offered the challenge of telling a story on a much larger scale. The same basic rules of dividing the space, directing the viewers eye, and layering the chronology of the stories applied - just geometrically amplified by the size. To tell the story in a visual series of "chapters" I placed the figures described in the legend front and center, with other stories radiating outward in a general chronology left to right, with their significance arranged by size. I developed numerous gesture drawings of various poses of figures in action, and began placing them in the "chapter" scenes on a framework loosely based on the Golden Section rectangle. In keeping with the 19th century subject of the mural, I harkened back to the Golden Section, a geometric device popular at the time that used Classical proportions based on arithmetic ratios thought to create "dynamic symmetries". These proportions, because of their inherent balance and beauty - over time, became the basis for all my future mural compositions See more

Shingle Makers Geometry, 60x40: Our ancestors brought little more than a few tools and a great deal of ingenuity to the forests in which they settled. In the... mid-nineteenth century, a crew of itinerant shingle makers might be employed to do the work of roofing a cabin. Their first chore would have been to harvest a good size white oak, and cross cut saw the trunk into sections or wafers. Then, they split the green wood into bolts with a steel wedge and a wooden maul. They would rive the bolts into one half inch thick slices with a mallet and froe. And, if a shingle carries some bark, contains too much sapwood, or has a slight twist, they would bump it on the shaving horse with a drawing knife. Reading diaries of the settlers, journals of the earliest travelers, or hearing of how someone's family used to farm their land, I began to collect human stories. By themselves they weren't complete without a meaningful setting, but when, at some other time, on some turn of a road, seeing a stand of trees, or a cloud formation, a pairing with one of these scenes, a stage set really with - one of the narratives would suddenly make sense. A tableau; a group of figures composed and interlaced with the organic shapes of the landscape - separately they seem incongruous, but paired - would begin to say something original. It was as if the objects, the organic shapes in the landscape, if crafted skillfully would give voice to the actors within the scene. See more

Here the northern edge of the Ozark Plateau folds as it bumps up against the Missouri River exposing creamy white limestone bluffs edged with dark black cedar. ...The hills have surprising steepness and create views complex and peculiar. Upon returning home from ten years on the West Coast to a landscape molded to curves, the experience seemed new in the way it feels when one is gone for a long time yet, at the same time familiar. Already the armature of my artwork existed in this landscape rhythmic undulations along with curves arching over horizontal lines seemingly just waiting for interpretation. Living among these hills my sketchbook began to fill with small postcard-sized sketches of possible landscape compositions. I drew bumps and hollows, lengthened shadows, or bent a tree to frame a scene the organic shapes conforming to my underlying framework of expression. Using the tools of the commercial art trade learned over decades to create emotion and convey feeling, I began to realize that in order to capture the beauty and character of this region most accurately, my compositions required altering and exaggerating objects to convey specific emotions rather than copying a photographic reality. If the forms in my paintings felt solid and real, the viewer followed me into the landscape, transforming a two dimensional canvas into a three dimensional world and allowed me these exaggerations to express what I wanted to accomplish. See more

The Osage gunstock club was heavy in my hands. It was made of Osage orange wood approximately 250 years ago by the most dominant tribe in what is now Missouri. ...Dated by its sharp steel blade, a French trade item, the wooden club was carved in a gunstock shape to carry the power of a weapon the Osage envied. Used in hand-to-hand combat, it detailed a lightening bolt design with its serrated edge to symbolize deadly speed. Feeling privileged to touch something that has such a direct link to the distant past, I wanted to visualize those that made and carried the object. Commissioned to create a large painting to compliment the owner's collection, the club took center stage in Spring Creek, 60x30. Having stretched canvas over a panel to the final size, I trace the template directly on the gessoed canvas with chalk. Over the course of five days I create the painting, taking as much time as needed on each figure to reveal the facial expressions, the body language, the movement of the flitting birds, the forest architecture of springtime. See more

My cover illustration for the Saturday Evening Post went live today: https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/issues/2020-09-01/

Just completed: "A Scold of Scrub Jays", 28x36", to be included in a show titled, Spirit Animals at Manitou Galleries, Santa Fe, NM in June.

BRYAN HAYNES GALLERY PRESENTS: Sacagawea / A Journey Into the Past. Learn about the life of a courageous Shoshone woman who has become immortalized along with Lewis and Clark. Sacagawea, who was also known as 'Bird Woman', recounts the story of her amazing life and adventures as an interpreter for the 'Corps of Discovery' in the early 1800's. In Shoshone dress, with articles for survival in her parfleches, Dianne Moran portrays the true story behind this colorful historic character. Pat Frank, as Naiya Nuki, Sacagawea's childhood friend, accompanies Dianne with original and period music. Together they will usher you back 200 winters, on the journey of the century to the last American frontier - The Lewis and Clark Expedition. For tickets and more information: www.artbybryanhaynes.com/events/

Bryan Haynes Gallery presents: The Art of Silent Film, March, Friday the 13th. Vocalist Laura Werner and musician Paul Ovaitt will take you back more than one hundred years into the creepy side of the silent film era, but with a fresh and modern live soundtrack. Experience whimsical Japanese anime, and a classic German Expressionist silent movie. For tickets, and more information: www.artbybryanhaynes.com/events/

Missouri Athletic Club commissioned painting unveiling is scheduled for Friday, January 24th. It has been 50 years since the Club has commissioned a painting to add to their prestigious collection. I am honored. Thank you Art Foundation Board Chair Tom Albus, and my friend and fellow artist, Harry Weber.

Bryan Haynes Gallery Presents: The return of our favorite wildlife photographer, Danny Brown, who will share some magical moments he has experienced photographing trumpeter swans and American white pelicans. Through stories and images, Danny will transport us into the worlds of these charismatic mega-birds, similar only in size and color. Danny describes swans as graceful and elegant, and pelicans as simply badass hunters. Danny has also promised to include a bonus track of selected sandhill crane images from his recent trip to Nebraska. Don’t miss this inspiring celebration of our natural world! Saturday, January 25th. For tickets and more information: https://www.artbybryanhaynes.com/events/

Just completed, "Missouri Athletic Club", 40x52". Acquired for their permanent collection, the painting was commissioned to reflect the history of Missouri's premier athletic, dining, and social club for business, professional and civic leaders and their families in the St. Louis region. The unveiling is scheduled for January where the painting will be installed in the lobby of the Downtown Clubhouse built in 1916 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.

Bryan Haynes Gallery Presents: "The Eight: Reindeer Monologues", a black comedy with the eight reindeer dishing about the real Santa. All those rumors you've heard about him and the elves, well...! Friday, December 13th, brought to you by our sponsors, Chimera Creative Works, and Pinckney Bend Distillery. Doors open at 6:30, performance begins at 7:30. For tickets and for more information: www.artbybryanhaynes.com/events

Bryan Haynes Gallery presents: A Joan Baez Tribute Concert to benefit Franklin County ALIVE. Music performed by mother and son musicians Pat Frank & Gus Frank, with a visual presentation of the life of Joan Baez. November 9th, 7:00PM, BYOB. For more information and tickets: www.artbybryanhaynes.com/events

BRYAN HAYNES GALLERY presents WHY PRAIRIES MATTER: Enjoy complimentary wine provided by Magnificent Missouri and learn about prairieone of the mightiest ecosys...tems on earthfrom Franklin County native Carol Davit. Davit is executive director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation, a 53-year-old prairie conservation organization and land trust that protects some of the most biologically rich landscapes remaining in Missouri, while they still exist to save. Find out why prairie matters to all Missourians, and how prairie resources can be incorporated on farms, yards, and cities to improve our quality of life. Register at www.moprairie.org or call 888-843-6739. Saturday, September 28th, 7:00 to 8:PM, doors open at 6:30. For more information - www.artbybryanhaynes.com/events See more

Bryan Haynes Gallery will be closed July 9th through July 16th as the artist and his wife will be on Holiday to visit this little guy in his natural environ, Missoula, Montana. We are slated to take him on his first camping trip. You can see here his excitement to explore the wilderness that surrounds his Montana home!

BRYAN HAYNES GALLERY PRESENTS: May 22nd, A FREE screening of Paris to Pittsburgh, a new film from National Geographic, produced by RadicalMedia in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies -- narrated by Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actress and activist Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel). From coastal cities to America’s heartland, Americans are demanding and developing real solutions in the face of climate change. And as the weather grows more deadly and... destructive, they are waiting on Washington to act. Learn about their incredible stories in Paris to Pittsburgh, and be inspired to create change in your own community! Watch the trailer here. When: Wednesday, May 22, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm Where: Bryan Haynes Gallery, 10 W. 2nd St., Washington, MO 63090 Who: Hosted by the Labadie Environmental Organization and Four Rivers Progressive Coalition Please note: This event is free and open to the public, but due to limited seating reservations are required. For reservations please email: [email protected]