Dennis  Downey Santuary of the Swallows, 1989 oil on canvas  79 " x 91"               

“Sanctuary of the Swallows” is a large painting that encompasses the grand western skies, with light shining down from above. The light shines upon Christ on the cross in the blue hued landscape, two other crosses are set in the backdrop.  Downey likes to involve the viewer with his moody and emotional landscapes.  “I want the viewer to feel the temperature, hear the wind; I want him to live the painting – to really have a sense of being there.”

Dennis Downey was born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1941. For many years, he lived in the flat Midwest plains of Kansas City.  It was under the open skies of Kansas that Downey, still in high school, first began sketching and drawing.  His interest in art continued throughout his college studies in Kansas, where he received his undergraduate degree.  In 1974, he moved to the high desert of Santa Fe, NM.  The inspiring New Mexico landscape combined with his studies under such masters as Eric Sloane, Wayne Wolf and other Southwestern artists convinced Downey to devote more time to his painting and to become a committed artist.