Schley is best known for his atmospheric and evocative landscapes. His work depicts natural scenes from the American and Canadian Northeast, such as farms, forests, and rivers. These works are characterized by their use of gestural brushstrokes, simplified forms, and bold colors. He is also celebrated for his portrayal of people at leisure. Picnics, tennis games, and sunbathers are common themes, as are landscapes executed on-the-spot at beaches and riversides. His ephemeral oils and watercolors capture moments of serenity both in nature and amongst friends.
By The River will explore the development of Schley’s painting, investigating the evolution from early paintings rooted in realism to more abstract and expressionist work later in his career.
