From October 5 to November 4, Troika Gallery will host a special featured show of groundbreaking paintings created by William Storck during a recent renewed direction in his work. Renowned for his marine paintings of traditional Chesapeake-built schooners and skipjacks still sailing and working the bay, Storck’s maritime paintings integrate water, wind, sky, and sailing vessels into carefully balanced, light infused, timeless images. Storck recently relocated to New Hampshire, where he is passionately expanding his portfolio to include stunning landscape paintings and a return to the luminescent still lifes for which he was known earlier in his career.
After living and working on a waterfront farm on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay for three decades, in 2012 William Storck decided it was time to embark on a new adventure. So he and his wife moved from the family property in Annapolis to the rural small town of Tuftonboro, New Hampshire. When they searched New England for a new home, they chose this location because of its openness, low population, and proximity to nature. Storck says he doesn’t mind the occasional bear sighting. So far, he hasn’t seen anything more than the tracks of moose that live in the area. His 60-acre property, named Fine View Farm, is a former sheep farm containing woodland and pasture, and boasting broad views of Lake Winnipesaukee and the White Mountains.
“It’s quite a change from living on a pastoral creek along the Chesapeake Bay,” Storck says. “It’s a shift to taking a long view of things. I miss the Chesapeake region, but in New Hampshire I am surrounded by amazing vistas—it’s like living inside a Hudson River School painting. The sunsets are so unbelievable that I describe them as being hyper-real.”
When the sun goes down, one is likely to find this versatile artist in his studio working on vibrant still lifes instilled with color and light. “Still life painting is quite soothing to my artistic sensibilities,” Storck says. “I like the fact that the subject doesn’t move. It’s a different, very intriguing aspect to my art. I am in the early stages of returning to still life painting. It’s been fun. To me, enjoying the process is the key to artistic success.”
William Penniman Storck has been painting professionally since 1980. He first studied under the master painter Naoto Nakagawa at Windham College in Vermont before finishing his formal art training at the Maryland Institute of Art in Baltimore. At age 24 his first solo show sold out completely in Annapolis. He has since had eight solo shows and has participated in several group shows throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.
His work is in several permanent collections, including the United States Naval Academy, St. John’s College, as well as numerous corporate collections and over 400 private collections throughout the United States and Europe.
Meet the artist and enjoy refreshments during an opening reception October 5 from 5:00-8:30pm during First Saturday Gallery Walk in downtown Easton. The show will consist of maritime works, still lifes, and several paintings depicting Storck’s New England surroundings.
Troika Gallery is located at 9 S. Harrison Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Saturday, 10am to 5:30pm, and by appointment on Sunday. Artist portfolios and gallery information are available online at www.troikagallery.com. For more information, email art@troikagallery.com or phone at 410.770.9190.
Painting Credit: “Still Life with Imari Bowl” by William P. Storck