The best painting-centric guide to art galleries in NYC, Brooklyn, and Queens / Thanks in part to the Canadian wildfires, the hazy days of July are underway. They are perhaps not so lazy, though, as many artists are working full-throttle in the studio, hatching new ideas or preparing for upcoming exhibitions while dragging themselves away to openings at the summer group shows. I know I say it every year, but I love the off-season. Look for a listing update next week.

What to see: This month, on the Lower East Side, we recommend Two Coats contributor Riad Miad’s solo show at Equity Gallery and Chris Dorland’s show at Lyles & King. In Brooklyn, look for Jessica Weiss at 490 Atlantic, and note that Sheila Pepe has curated a show at Platform Project Space that opens March 2. We’ve never been to Field of Play in Gowanus, so we’re going to try to get over there to see Hopscotch, with Alyson Ainsworth, Kat Chamberlin, and Leonora Loeb. CLEARING is opening a new space at 260 Bowery at the end of the month, with a big group show called “Maiden Voyage.” In Chelsea, who can resist “Ass Backwards,” philisophical wise-ass David Humphrey’s latest at Fredericks & Freiser? And we’ll try not to forget Josephine Halvorson’s “Unforgotten,” which opens at Sikkima Jenkins on March 17. The news from our neighbors in the global art world is that Gerhard Richter, who left Marian Goodman Gallery last year, is having his inaugural show at Zwirner this month, featuring “new and recent abstract works.”

We lose a few days in February, so there isn’t any time for procrastinating. Among the early-closing must-sees are David Deutsch’s solo at Eva Pressenhuber, Claudia Keep at March (recently reviewed), and the exhibition of sculptors’ drawings that Carl D’Alvia organized at Helena Anrather. New shows include Erika Ranee’s first solo at Klaus von Nichtssagend (opens Feb 18) and Brenda Goodman at Sikkema Jenkins (opens today). And, finally, Paul Pagk’s outstanding show at Miguel Abreu is required viewing.

It’s 2023, and we’re still publishing, thanks to all the readers who made generous contributions during our 2022 Year-End Fund Drive. In Brooklyn, former Two Coats Resident Artist Gyan Shrosbree has a solo at Ortega y Gasset Projects. Strong abstract painting shows include Paul Pagk in his first outing at Miguel Abreu and, at McKenzie Fine Art, Rob De Oude. There are also a slew of mega group-shows (we’re looking at you DC Moore), so everyone will be out and about. Seems like we’re off to a good start. Happy new year!