“The work is so subtle . . . sheered layered surfaces as delicate as moth wings, colored in shades of gray, silver, pewter, cream and gold.”
"He never pretended, wished, or strived to be an artist … it is his essence"
Budd has a background of accomplishment in a variety of artistic subjects and mediums, from watercolor portraiture to architectural renderings. But his true calling is clearly his painted recreations of the natural world. Landscape holds a sacred place in the history of the arts, and Budd pays homage to this tradition while also bringing an entirely fresh approach to the process. His landscapes aren’t painted so much as allowed to emerge from a unique application of materials and their manipulation with flame, water, gravity, solvents, sprays, and brushes.
From a conventional vantage point these works have a recognizable appearance as grand representational landscapes, but as the viewer nears the surface, an amazing array of marks, sprays, drips, and textures combine to create a parallel work of abstraction. Not only does Budd tread the line between the two, he exercises such command of his technique that he effectively creates two paintings that succeed and hold intrigue simultaneously.
But mastery of technique is only one partly responsible for the majesty of these landscapes. He has a lifelong relationship with the environment, having spent time hiking the Appalachian trail, painting in the Caribbean, winter-climbing in Montana, and living in the Tennessee mountains. Budd’s profound understanding of his subject gives his paintings an intimacy, authenticity, and mystical quality that transcend the quaint or trite work often found in this genre.
An art instructor and fellow student of Budd’s from his days studying at The Museum School in Boston, who has followed the artist’s career closely, said of Budd, “When it comes to pursuing one’s art, focusing one’s energy, and living one’s life, I have never seen anyone as singularly focused on their work and dedicated to their vision as Stuart. He never pretended, wished, or strived to be an artist … it is his essence, he authentically is one, a truly gifted one.”