In this solo exhibition of works from his “Sketchbook Series” Thomas Broadbent selects principal concepts and ideas from his private artists’ log and heightens his focus to get to the core of their complex meaning. His detailed watercolors and drawings question the utility of each compositional component and are presented in such a manner to disengage and re-present their perceived use.

Broadbent’s new works on paper incorporate trompe l’oeil representations of seemingly unrelated objects and scenes, which allude to existentialistic ideas and create sophisticated associative meaning within each piece. The large scale watercolors he presents succinctly capture the illusive quality of sketchbook thoughts. His sensitivity to color, tactility, and structure propel these thoughts into reality, while maintaining a key tie to illusion and metaphor.