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BARBARA PREY: 250th–The American Landscape Oil Painting

July 1–13, 2026

Her attention to details recalls Vermeer…it’s a painter’s job to notice, and to draw out the nuance and light in what the rest of us ignore.  Prey has that eye and hand … what she makes touches the divine and has staying power.           -The Boston Globe

With her keen artist’s eye, esteemed American artist Barbara Prey explores the American landscape in a striking collection of previously unseen oil paintings.  Prey has spent her career painting America, American stories and the world around her, capturing the enduring importance of the natural environment and the intricate ways in which we inhabit and engage with it. These works delve into the landscapes of her immediate surroundings, offering an intimate and reflective view of place.

Drawing on her distinguished academic background in art history from Williams College and Harvard University, Prey continues to push the boundaries of her artistic expression. Her paintings engage deeply with themes of memory and art history while offering a fresh, contemporary reinterpretation of the American landscape, contributing to the evolving narrative of American art. Her work has been exhibited in major museums alongside artists from Monet and Cezanne to Jackson Pollock, situating her practice within a broader historical dialogue.

Known for her monumental watercolor works, Prey’s new oil paintings stand in deliberate contrast. Smaller in scale and created en plein air, these intimate works capture a raw, gestural energy. The brushstrokes feel impulsive yet intentional, revealing a sense of immediacy and presence. This approach invites viewers into the artist’s lived experience of the landscape, offering rare insight into her creative