September traditionally marks the beginning of the art season, at least as far as commercial galleries are concerned. As collectors and art world professionals return from summer destinations far and wide, you can feel the art world start to shift into high gear. Not surprisingly, many galleries choose to present shows by their top talent in September, and this year is no exception.

Among the dozens of strong painting exhibitions around the country this month are more than three-dozen shows by New American Paintings’ alumni. We pay careful attention to the careers of our alumni at NAP, and over the past twenty years we have seen a number of them go on to achieve great success, both critically and commercially. Some of our favorites are on view this month.

Internationally acclaimed artists Wendy White and Matthew Day Jackson were both featured in NAP when they were still finishing their graduate school work; be sure to catch their shows at Andrew Rafacz Gallery in Chicago and Hauser & Wirth in New York City, respectively.  Two solid, and in my mind underrated, mid-career painters, John Bankston and Alexis Rockman, have solo shows at Walter Maciel Gallery in Los Angeles and Sperone Westwater in New York City, respectively. If emerging artists are your thing, then don’t miss two of Los Angeles’ hottest artists, Eric Yahnker at Ambach & Rice and Devin Troy Strother at Richard Heller Gallery, or Jeanette Mundt at Clifton Benevento and Andrew Schoultz at Morgan Lehman, both in New York.

A big shout out to one of my favorite cities, Chicago, where I will be heading next week to catch the attempted reboot of Art Chicago in its glory days, Expo Chicago. Those living in Chicago, or visiting this month, have a lot of gallery shows to be excited about. Aside from the aforementioned Wendy White show, don’t miss work by the incredible Bill Traylor at Carl Hammer Gallery, or Rebecca Morris at Corbett vs. Dempsey. One of Chicago’s best known exports, Judy Ledgerwood is also on view at Rhona Hoffman Gallery. - Steven Zevitas, Publisher

Devin Troy Strother, Courtesy of Richard Heller Gallery.

NEW AMERICAN PAINTINGS ARTISTS ON VIEW

Rusty Scruby (NAP #48, #102)
September 7 – October 5, 2013
Cris Worley Fine Arts

Mark Greenwalt (NAP #54)
September 8 – October 13, 2013
Hooks-Epstein Galleries, Inc.

If you cut it, they will come
Featuring Ted Larsen (NAP #5, #90), Rusty Scruby (NAP #48, #102) & Lance Letscher (NAP #48)
September 2 – October 19, 2013
McMurtrey Gallery

Michael Bise (NAP #90, #102)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 2 – October 12, 2013
Moody Gallery

Michael Bise, Courtesy of Moody Gallery.

Under the Evening Light (Featuring John Zurier, NAP #55)
July 15 – September 15, 2013
Larry Becker Contemporary Art

Elizabeth Livingston (NAP MFA Annual 2007)
September 7 – October 2, 2013
Alpha Gallery

Elizabeth Livingston, Courtesy of Alpha Gallery.

Bill Thompson (NAP #7, #44)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 10 – October 19, 2013
Barbara Krakow Gallery

Bill Thompson, Courtesy of Barbara Krakow Gallery.

Wendy White (NAP #22, #28)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 20 – November 2, 2013
Andrew Rafacz

Wendy White, Courtesy of Andrew Rafacz.

Michiko Itatani (NAP #89)
September 6 – October 19, 2013
Linda Warren Projects

Eric Yahnker (NAP #73, #85)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 6 – October 12, 2013
Ambach & Rice

Eric Yahnker, Courtesy of Ambach & Rice.

Betsy Stirratt (NAP #59)
September 6 – October 19, 2013
Packer Schopf Gallery

Under Investigation (Featuring Jim Lutes, NAP #17)
September 20 – November 2, 2013
Valerie Carberry Gallery

Iva Gueorguieva (NAP #73, 77)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 6 – October 12, 2013
ACME

Iva Gueorguieva, Courtesy of ACME.

Rachel Niffenegger  (NAP #101)
September 2013
Western Exhibitions

Amy Casey (NAP #71, #83)
September 2013
Zg Gallery

Feodor Voronov  (NAP #97)
September 4 – October 12, 2013
Mark Moore Gallery

John Bankston (NAP #55)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 2 – November 2, 2013
Walter Maciel Gallery

John Bankston, Courtesy of Walter Maciel Gallery.

Brenna Youngblood (NAP #103)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 12 – October 16, 2013
Honor Fraser

Brenna Youngblood, Courtesy of Honor Fraser.

Landscape (Featuring Iva Gueorguieva, NAP #73, #77)
September 12 – October 12, 2013
Fredric Snitzer Gallery

Cary Smith (NAP #98)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 12 – October 5, 2013
Philip Slein Gallery

Jeanette Mundt (NAP #86)
September 7 – October 19, 2013
Clifton Benevento

Jeanette Mundt, Courtesy of Clifton Benevento.

Jane Fox Hipple (NAP #92)
September 14 – October 27, 2013
Dodge Gallery

Matthew Day Jackson (MFA Annual 2001)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 6 – October 19, 2013
Hauser & Wirth

Devin Troy Strother (NAP #85)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 7 – October 26, 2013
Richard Heller Gallery

Inaugural Group Exhibition (Featuring Angela Dufresne, NAP #62, #92, Vera Iliatova, NAP #86, Jake Longstreth, NAP 2004 MFA, #79, & Ann Toebbe, NAP #71, #95)
September 9 – October, 20, 2013
Monya Rowe Gallery

Andrew Schoultz (NAP #79)       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 5 – October 12, 2013
Morgan Lehman

Andrew Schoultz, Courtesy of Morgan Lehman.

Sandow Birk (NAP #6, #31, #67, #73, #103)
September 7 – October 12, 2013
P.P.O.W.

Sandow Birk, Courtesy of P.P.O.W.

Alexis Rockman (NAP #38)
September 17 – November 2, 2013
Sperone Westwater

Jaq Chartier (NAP #13, 31, 61)
September 5 - October 12, 2013
Platform Gallery

Amanda Valdez (NAP #99)
September 6 – 28, 2013
Prole Drift

Guy Diehl (NAP #25)
September 5 – 28, 2013
Dolby Chadwick Gallery

Dannielle Tegeder (NAP #32, #44, #74)
October 1 – November 20, 2013
Gregory Lind Gallery

OTHER NOTEABLE SHOWS 

ATLANTA:

Robert Sagerman
September 12 – October 19, 2013
Marcia Wood Gallery

AUSTIN/DALLAS/HOUSTON:

Gavin Perry
September 6 – October 18, 2013
Barbara Davis Gallery

Stephen Lapthisophon
September 7 – October 5, 2013
Conduit Gallery

The New Sincerity      PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 2 – November 2, 2013
Lora Reynolds Gallery

BALTIMORE/DC/PHILLY:

Tim McFarlane
September 5 – October 5, 2013
Bridgette Mayer Gallery

David Brewster
September 12 – October 26, 2013
C. Grimaldis Gallery

Knox Martin
September 13 – October 26, 2013
LGTripp Gallery

BOSTON:

Ben Sloat
September 5 – October 12, 2013
Steven Zevitas Gallery

CHICAGO:

Bill Traylor      PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 6 – October 8, 2013
Carl Hammer Gallery

Bill Traylor, Courtesy of Carl Hammer Gallery.

Andrew Holmquist
September 2 – October 12, 2013
Carrie Secrist Gallery

Rebecca Morris       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 6 – October 19, 2013
Corbett vs. Dempsey

Rebecca Morris, Courtesy of Corbett vs. Dempsey.

Duncan R. Anderson and Daniel Bruttig
September 6 – October 12, 2013
Kasia Kay Art Projects Gallery

Judy Ledgerwood       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 13 – October 19, 2013
Rhona Hoffman Gallery

Judy Ledgerwood, Courtesy of Rhona Hoffman Gallery.

Dan Rees
September 6 – October 5, 2013
Shane Campbell Gallery

DENVER/PHOENIX/SANTA FE:

Ed Moses
August 30 – September 23, 2013
Charlotte Jackson Fine Art

Ryan McLennan       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 6 – October 5, 2013
David B. Smith Gallery

Katherine Lee
September 6 – October 19, 2013
Eight Modern

Enrique Martinez Celaya
July 11 – September 21, 2013
James Kelly Contemporary

Bernard Chaet       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 6 – October 13, 2013
LewAllen Galleries

John Fudge
September 6 – November 9, 2013
Rule

LOS ANGELES:

Leon Benn
September 2 – October 12, 2013
Carter and Citizen

HK Zamani
September 8 – October 13, 2013
CB1 Gallery

Kevin Appel       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 13 – November 9, 2013
Christopher Grimes Gallery

Kevin Appel, Courtesy of Christopher Grimes Gallery.

Antony
September 12 – October 26, 2013
Maloney Fine Art

Stephanie Pryor
September 13 – October 19, 2013
Marine Contemporary

Maureen Gallace
September 15 – October 26, 2013
Overduin and Kite

Ivan Morley       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 7 – October 12, 2013
Richard Telles Fine Art

Steven Roden       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 14 – October 19, 2013
Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects

Hadley Holliday
September 14 – October 26, 2013
Taylor De Cordoba

NYC:

Michael Buthe
September 10 – October 12, 2013
Alexander and Bonin

Jack Whitten       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 11 – October 12, 2013
Alexander Gray Associates

Julia Goldman       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 11 – October 20. 2013
American Contemporary

Julia Goldman, Courtesy of American Contemporary.

Gene Davis
September 5 – October 12, 2013
Ameringer | McEnery | Yohe

Michael Raedecker       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 7 – October 5, 2013
Andrea Rosen Gallery

Jonas Wood     PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 12 – October 19, 2013
Anton Kern Gallery

Jonas Wood, Courtesy of Anton Kern Gallery.

Chuck Webster       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 5 – October 12, 2013
Betty Cunningham Gallery

Chuck Webster, Courtesy of Betty Cunningham Gallery.

Nathan Carter
September 5 – October 25, 2013
Casey Kaplan

Steve Roden       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 12 – October 19, 2013
CRG

Steve Roden, Courtesy of Susanne Vielmetter Los Angeles Projects.

Barbara Takenaga
September 5 – October 5, 2013
DC Moore

Caetano de Almeida
September 5 – October 13, 2013
Eleven Rivington

Charline von Heyl       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 6 – October 5, 2013
Friedrich Petzel Gallery

Charlene Von Heyl, Courtesy of Friedrich Petzel Gallery.

Some Dreamers of the Golden Dream
September 5 – October 5, 2013
Greene Naftali

Hayv Kahraman
September 10 – October 12, 2013
Jack Shainman Gallery

Slow Hunch (Featuring Jim Gaylord, NAP #43, MFA Annual 2007, #86)
September 7 –October 5, 2013
Jeff Bailey Gallery

Anna Betbeze       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 7 – October 22, 2013
Kate Werble Gallery

Chip Hughes       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September – October 9, 2013
Kerry Schuss (KS Art)

Ashley Bickerton
Angel Otero
September 12 – November 2, 2013
Lehman Maupin

Cynthia Daignault
September 8 – October 20, 2013
Lisa Cooley

Josh Smith       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 13 – October 19, 2013
Luhring Augustine

Josh Smith, Courtesy of Luhring Augustine.

Liu Xiaodong
September 6 – October 26, 2013
Mary Boone Gallery

Sol Lewitt
September 3 – October 12, 2013
Paul Cooper Gallery

Ian Davenport
September 12 – October 26, 2013
Paul Kasmin Gallery

Lucien Smith       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 13 – October 25, 2013
Salon 94

Robert Ryman
September 12 – October 26, 2013
The Pace Gallery

Aaron Fowler & Michael Shultis
September 8 – October 6, 2013
Thierry Goldberg Gallery

PORTLAND/SEATTLE:

Lynda Ater and Sue Tower
September 3 – 28, 2013
Blackfish Gallery

Roger Shimomura
August 22 – September 28, 2013
Greg Kucera Gallery

David Kroll    
September 5 – November 2, 2013
Grover/Thurston Gallery

Patrick Driscoll
September 5 – October 12, 2013
James Harris Gallery

Jennifer Beedon Snow
September 5 – 28, 2013
Linda Hodges Gallery

SAN FRANCISCO:

Caragh Thuring       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 13 – October 18, 2013
Anthony Meier Fine Arts

Caragh Thuring, Courtesy of Anthony Meier Fine Art.

Ed Moses
September 7 – October 26, 2013
Brian Gross Fine Art

Stefan Kurten       PUBLISHER’S PICK
September 3 – October 12, 2013
Hosfelt Gallery

Stefan Kurten, Courtesy of Hosfelt Gallery.

Chuck Close
September 5 – November 16, 2013
John Berggruen Gallery