An artist reception will be held on July 29 from 6 to 8 p.m.

July 18, 2022 — Austentatious, 494 Highway 101, is opening for its second gallery show on Friday, July 29, when longtime Florence artist Kyle Lind premieres “Earth is Home.” The show will continue until the end of September.

Lind has been creating experimental, experiential art throughout his life, immersing himself in the process of creating works both large in scale and scope. His work spans more than 60 years, and many pieces will be on display at Austentatious, including neveral never-before-seen new works as well as paintings he produced in the 1960s. Original paintings and prints will be for sale.

“This isn’t a big show, but it is an intimate show,” said Jeremy Austen, owner of the store and gallery. “Kyle Lind’s whole thing is about sustaining the world, finding hope and a reason in life. We decided he would be the perfect fit for my second gallery show.”

For Lind, this specific show is a celebration of the earth.

“‘Earth is Home’ — even more wonderful than any flying saucer, alien, other planet or moon. … I wish we could learn to appreciate our earth more and understand its awesomeness and unbelievably infinite, kindhearted beingness,” he said. “But for now, I will just try to love it and hope for its recovery and good health.”

Austen decided to collaborate with Lind on a show when they spoke at Austentatious’ first gallery opening last year, for artist Giuliano Marchetti. The two had been acquaintances since they met 15 years ago when Austen was running Funky Monkey Toys in Historic Old Town Florence.

“I bought the ‘Who Are Those Indwellers of the Sacred Ground?’ print from Kyle Lind,” Austen said. “ I was drawn to his eccentricity and personal style. I’ve followed his career ever since and was happy to connect last summer in my own gallery.”

To prepare for the show, Lind has been stopping by the gallery to bring in his paintings as well as 3D works.

His last large show in the area was in 2019 at the Mindpower Gallery in Reedsport, which was a retrospective and displayed more than 200 pieces. This show is on a smaller scale, though several of the pieces tower above 7 feet, and has been curated to fit within one main room at Austentatious.

The community is invited to an artist reception on July 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. to meet Lind and learn about his works at the Austentatious Gallery.

For more information, visit www.facebook.com/theartofkylelind and www.instagram.com/austentatious_494/.