Artist Erik Koeppel will be speaking about his paintings of the White Mountain landscape at the New Hampshire Antique Co-op on May 17. Courtesy photo

MILFORD – On May 17, Erik Koeppel, a nationally recognized painter working in the traditions of the 19th Century White Mountain School artists, will present a gallery talk on luminous landscape painting in the White Mountains.

The event will be held at 1 p.m. at the New Hampshire Antique Co-op, 323 Elm St. and is offered in conjunction with the current exhibition, “Light and Brush: Luminous and Tonal Paintings from the 19th Century to Present.”

During the talk, Koeppel will discuss his traditional painting techniques and his strategies of painting the White Mountains both en plein air as well as in the studio. He will also present several recently completed works and engage in a Q&A session with attendees.

A graduate of Rhode Island School of Design and New York Academy of Art, Koeppel has exhibited widely throughout New England, New York City and beyond. He has received numerous awards and accolades for his outstanding work. Koeppel’s mastery of traditional techniques has led him to become one of a few contemporary artists whose work is regularly exhibited with historic masters of the 19th and early 20th centuries. As a leader in a movement of young painters seeking to revive the methods of the White Mountain School, his paintings have hung beside acclaimed historical art figures such Thomas Cole, Winslow Homer, Edgar Degas, John Frederick Kensett and George Inness. His work has been featured in American Artist, Plein Air Magazine and other respected publications.

Koeppel lives in Jackson, in the heart of the White Mountains, where he maintains a studio. New Hampshire Antique Co-op has represented Koeppel’s works for more than 20 years, with his paintings regularly exhibited in its Upstairs Gallery.

The accompanying exhibition, Light and Brush: Luminous and Tonal Paintings from the 19th Century to Present, features more than 50 works that explore the interplay of light and shadow through the Luminist and Tonalist movements. Highlights include works by 19th Century artists such as Fitz Henry Lane, William Frederick De Haas, Bruce Crane and Alvan Fisher, alongside contemporary works by Erik Koeppel, William Davis and Dennis Sheehan.

Luminism, which emerged in the mid-19th Century, emphasizes the timeless sublime beauty of nature through glowing scenes, smooth brushwork and radiant light that captures tranquil, serene views. In contrast, Tonalism, a movement that followed in the late-19th Century, evokes mood and introspection with muted tones, soft colors, subtle shadows and atmospheric effects. Together, these styles offer a contemplative look at the timeless relationship between light, shadow and landscape.