“The opening show features a strong representation of work by Hamilton artist Gordon Leverton, whose urban pastels and oils I’ve long admired for their understanding, both playful and serious, of formal rhythm in painting. He expresses this in many ways — the elaborate colour texturing that he creates; the illusion of light and shadow; the illusion of dimension and, most of all, the quirky architectural regimentation of line and diagonal in his compositions.
“They are very angular and formally dramatic paintings of urban scapes and shanty towns which work almost as well as colour field abstracts as they do as city scenes. Beyond their virtues as abstracts, there is no way to ignore the social content — the crowdedness of the buildings and the looming spectre of urban decay.”
“A New Focus on James North”, by Jeff Mahoney, Hamilton Spectator, January 26, 2011
“Of the painters showing with Focus Gallery, I was most impressed by Gordon Leverton, whose bright abstracted urban views have already been widely exhibited throughout the region. Currently based in Hamilton, Leverton has a keen eye for the surprisingly diverse palette of decaying urban space and has become highly adept at reducing these elements down to tightly arranged patchwork compositions that evoke the uncomfortable stillness inherent in abandoned spaces.”
Stephanie Vegh + Blog, Feb., 2011
“…the flat planes of the buildings in the paintings of Gordon Leverton also show us novel
views of our city landscape—not to mourn what is lost, but as a way of contributing to a dialogue about contemporary urban space.”
Liminal Spaces, by Imre Szeman, March, 2011
“While the use of light and shadow leans toward American realist legend Edward Hopper, Mr. Leverton's unconventional "macro view" forces foreground and background to become indistinguishable, which creates abstraction… that celebrate the forgotten and mundane pieces of domestic life.”
“House Painting on a Whole Other Level”, by Dave LeBlanc, Globe and Mail, Aug., 7, 2009
“A delightful discovery for me was the work of Gordon Leverton who makes wonderful compositions using the geometric patterns found in older, inner-city houses. In a rectilinear style that, I suspect, owes much to Mondrian, Mr. Leverton’s use of strong, flat colours and his eye for interesting shapes capture the visual interest of urban life in a unique way.”
“Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition 2008”, by Patrick Donohue, Dilettante’s Diary, July 2008
“The realism of Gordon Leverton’s Labyrinth takes us into a world of structure with his precise almost geometric rendering of attic beams, creating a dynamic composition and sense of space.”
“Drawing on Diversity”, by Steve Menhinick, The Brantford Expositor, Nov. 24, 2007
“All of Leverton’s paintings pay homage to the history of the city and give us a peak into these different neighbourhoods and the people who occupy them. They are also an investigation into colour and form. In each painting it is clear that Leverton is thinking about shapes and his technique leads to rich tones and tactile textures.
“Portraits of the Everyday”, by Maura Broadhurst, curator, Latcham Gallery, 2007
“Leverton’s view of Hamilton’s north and east end shows us a side of Hamilton that is beginning to come out more and more. The underbelly of town is showing its true colours of potential and beauty, you just need to turn your eye to see it. This artist gives us that ability to see.”
“Beauty Cubed”, by Laura Hollick, View Magazine, May 2007
“Last week Gordon Leverton emailed me with a sampling of his work, and I have to say, it’s right up my alley. The colors are perfect, and the way he handles light on the blocky buildings is beautiful. I’ve been on the look-out for some larger artwork (my small budget over the years has meant I have a big collection of really small art) and Gordon Leverton’s cheerful pastels and paintings would be a wonderful addition.”
Ellie Snow, Mint Design Blog, Durham, NC, Aug. 2009
