One River School of Art + Design presents Exhibition of Recent Paintings by Michael Berryhill and JJ Manford  

One River School of Art + Design is excited to present a two-person exhibition 

Recent Paintings by Michael Berryhill and JJ Manford

WHEN: The opening, on Saturday, November 20th, is from 12:00 pm  to 3:00 pm and features an Artist Talk at 12:30 pm. Berryhill’s and Manford’s work will be on display through January 15, 2022.

WHERE: 319 Franklin Turnpike, Allendale

Michael Berryhill is an artist currently living and working in Brooklyn, NY. He has held solo exhibitions at Night Gallery, Los Angeles, CA (2019, 2016); La Maison De Rendez-Vous, Brussels, BE (2019); Kate Werble Gallery, NY (2017); Galeria Marta Cervera, Madrid, ES (2017); KANSAS, New York, NY (2016, 2014, 2012); Jeff Bailey Gallery, Hudson, NY (2015); CTRL, Houston, TX (2010); and Horton Gallery, New York, NY (2009).

(Below, right: Michael Berryhill,    Amazing Place, 2020, Oil on Linen Panel, 21.25” x 17.25”)

Michael Berryhill received his BFA at the University of Texas in 1994 (Austin, TX) and his MFA from Columbia University in 2009 (New York, NY). His practice is marked by a proclivity for fluorescent shades and a particular method of application that builds thin layers of chalky paint and elusive forms. Utilizing dry brushstrokes to apply his luminous pigments on a surface that has been scraped down, his combinations of complementary colors and ghostly shapes result in striking pictorial inventions that straddle the line between abstraction and representation. 

JJ Manford is an artist living and working in Brooklyn, NY. As a prolific creator and curator, Manford recently exhibited in solo and two-person presentations at The Pit, Palm Springs, CA; Harper’s, East Hampton; Derek Eller Gallery, New York; Arts + Leisure Gallery, New York; John Davis Gallery, Hudson, NY; and Freight + Volume Gallery, New York. Both Manford’s artwork and curatorial projects have been reviewed in Hyperallergic, Two Coats of Paint, and White Hot Magazine, among other publications.

(Below, left: JJ Manford,   Interior with Great Dane and Dhurrie Rug, 2021, Oil Stick, Oil Pastel, Flashe on Burlap over Canvas, 72” x 60”)

Manford received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University in 2006, a Post Baccalaureate degree from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago, and his MFA from Hunter College in 2013. Manford’s work is characterized by, in his own words, the convergence of the projective and spontaneous with the formal and strategic. Utilizing textured surfaces such as linen, couch upholstery, and burlap, Manford's rich paintings depict tightly confined indoor spaces ornamented with art, animal companions, and a window to the exterior world, seamlessly blending figuration and abstraction throughout the composition. Leaning into texture as a means to amplify the interactions between his color layers, his paintings often emit a psychedelic and hallucinatory feel, an ambiance that is starkly juxtaposed by the domesticity of his imaginary dwellings.

About One River School of Art + Design

Founded by Matt Ross in September of 2012 “one river” west of New York City, One River School of Art + Design has embarked on a mission to transform art education in America. Today, it’s innovative program teaches thousands of students in twelve schools across six states. One River’s unique gallery program, active in each school, introduces emerging contemporary artists to the local community, fostering important dialogue and self-expression while providing inspiration to One River’s students.