Art inspired by American classic

Most people who shop at True Value in Thompson Falls know Jared Shear as the person who can sell them hoses, fasteners and other hardware. There's another side to Shear however, that of the artist.

Last week, Shear presented a series of 24 paintings inspired by Herman Melville's classic "Moby Dick." The pieces are part of a show at the Radius Gallery in Missoula that runs through August 24. The show, True Places, features work from Shear, Kaetlyn Able, Jennifer Indreland and David Swenson.

Shear has been drawing since he was a kid. He earned a degree in animation from the Art Institute of Seattle and his art has been an important part of his adult life. In 2007, he painted Cougar Peak every day for a year, looking at the mountain from his parents' farm west of Thompson Falls. The results were showcased in a solo show at the Missoula Art Museum and are now captured in Shear's book, "Cougar Peak-A-Boo."

"It was a way to understand the changes in light that are experienced in the environment throughout the day," the artist stated. "It was an exercise in painting every day. Just like physical exercise, it takes practice and commitment."

Radius Gallery owner Lisa Simon said she admires Shear's discipline. "The Cougar Peak series showed how his eye devleoped over 365 days. I've talke dot so many people about the confidence of his brush strokes," Simon commented.

Shear's Moby Dick series began with sketches he had posted on his social media that caught the eye of Radius owner Lisa Simon. She told Shear that they would make a great show, and it took the artist another year to figure out what direction he wanted to take the paintings. It took about seven months to complete the 24 paintings. "There are iconic scenes that you're always inspired to paint. Moby Dick has been illustrated so many times, but I wanted to give my own take on the story," Shear stated. Many of the paintings focus on Ahab and his inner turmoil. "There are great characters and great prose that speak to deeper issues we all face of unforgiveness and what rage and hatred does to us," he added. Shear said he enjoyed finding his voice for the series.

"I think he's put himself in the position of the Melville in the interpretation of this in a way where he's telling a moral story," Simon said of Shear's latest work. "He's showing the whaling culture, but the morals are bubbling up. These metaphors are still very much alive in our culture."

Simon said since the show opened, she has had many people from Thomposn Falls coming in to see Shear's work. "Jared is a very disciplined artist. He's an amazing painter, very imaginative. Underderstated."

Shear said his style has changed as he has aged. "I find as I get older I've grown to like subtler, quieter moments in life, things I might have overlooked when I was younger." He works in a variety of mediums and prefers digital work for illustration projects so he can easily make changes for clients. "I always love trying new media, but my gallery work is created with traditional oils or watercolors," Shear explained.

The Radius show opened July 13, with about a dozen Thompson Falls residents in attendance, including Shear's parents, Doug and Janet. "It was a great turnout. The artists combined for a nice, cohesive show that explores some of the imaginative ideas in our world," Shear said. The Radius also features a few of Shear's landscapes that were part of a show earlier this year.

Radius Gallery is open 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at 120 N. Higgins Ave. in Missoula."If anyone gets a chance they should stop by the Radius," Shear said. "Jason and Lisa have done an amazing job creating a great space to showcase art in Missoula."