ARTIST'S BIOGRAPHY

Derek Overfield is a figure painter living in Fairmont, West Virginia. He graduated from Fairmont State College in 2003 with a bachelor of science in Graphics/Fine Arts. He was awarded many honors while at Fairmont State, including numerous "Best of Show" awards in the fall and spring juried student exhibitions. His work was published in Whetstone and he was the feature contributor of Issue 25 in 2006.

Professionally, Derek has exhibited his work in numerous competitions and exhibitions. In 2004 he was featured in the group exhibition, Emerging, at the Callen McJunkin Gallery in Charleston, WV. Also in 2004, as well as in 2005, he contributed to the group exhibition, The Figure Head to Toe at Cooper Gallery in Lewisburg, WV. His work was included in the exhibits Creative Drive at the Hammond Harkin Gallery in Columbus, OH, and Step Closer at the Gallery RFD in Swainsboro, GA. Most recently his work was featured in the Best of West Virginia show at the Tamarack Gallery in Beckley, WV and is currently on view at the Emerging Artists of West Virginia exhibit at the West Virginia State Museum in Charleston, WV, where he took second place. In October of 2009 his work will be included in the WV Juried Exhibition at the Huntington Museum of Art in Huntington, WV. Derek's latest solo show is titled New Paintings in Enamel. It was exhibited at Gallery 62 West in Grafton WV and will be on display at the Robert C. Byrd Federal Building in Charleston, WV during March and April, 2010.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT

My work seeks to elevate and highlight the human figure, while exploring elements of freedom, honesty and strength. Through simplicity of composition and economy of elements, I hope to achieve this elevation. I strive to create figures that are devoid of unnecessary ornamentation and are pure - both visually and conceptually.

I seek to explore concepts of power and stillness in relation to the human form, as well as the strength of the human will. Like a compressed spring, the figures are intended to exhibit a metaphysical potential energy, a capability to act or move. I attempt to capture the powerful entity that is the human mind/body/will combination. My work also explores the forces applied to and engaging the figures through visual tension. Metaphysical gravity is one such force that provides the figures' with their sculptural heaviness. Their weight is an attempt to reflect the weight of mankind's existence, further exhibiting the strength of the will.

These paintings are process driven, with the act of studying and responding to the figure playing a large role. Also highly important to my work is simplicity, urgency and spontaneity. I work from life to seize a moment and the vitality and energy of the figure. I encourage the viewer to step closer and explore the personal signature of each stroke and the spontaneous effects of paint, water, freedom and reverence of the human form.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2009 Derek Overfield Alumnus Art Exhibition, Fairmont State University, Fairmont, WV; New Paintings in Enamel, Gallery 62, Grafton, WV

2007 Self Portraits in Acrylic, Wild Zero Studios, Morgantown, WV

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2009 The Best of West Virginia, Tamarack, Beckley, WV; Emerging Artists of West Virginia, WV State Museum, Charleston, WV (Award); Exhibit 60, Morgantown Art Association Gallery, Morgantown, WV (Award)

2008 Step Closer, Gallery RFD, Swainsboro, GA; Art Walk, The Warner Theatre, Morgantown, WV; Creative Drive, Hammond Harkin Gallery, Columbus, OH; Feathers and Lead: New Works in Acrylic, Solera Cafe, Morgantown, WV; Upshur Arts Alliance Juried Art Show, Buckhannon, WV (Award)

2007 The Mustache Party Art Show, Wild Zero Studios, Morgantown, WV

2005 The Figure Head to Toe, Cooper Gallery, Lewisburg, WV; Upshur Arts Alliance Juried Art Show, Buckhannon, WV (Award); Fairmont Collects, James David Brooks Memorial Gallery, Fairmont, WV; Self Confrontation, James David Brooks Memorial Gallery, Fairmont, WV (Award)

2004 Seneca Trails Arts Guild Fine Art Competition, Elkins, WV; Emerging, Callen McJunkin Gallery, Charleston, WV; The Figure Head to Toe, Cooper Gallery, Lewisburg, WV

2003 Seneca Trails Arts Guild Fine Art Competition, Elkins, WV; Upshur Arts Alliance Juried Art Show, Buckhannon, WV (Award); 6th Annual Mountain State Juried Art Exhibit, High Gate Carriage House, Fairmont, WV; Faculty-Student Traveling Exhibition, Fairmont State University, Fairmont, WV

2002 Upshur Arts Alliance Juried Art Show, Buckhannon, WV (Award)