The combination of painted line, ethereal color movement, vivid patterning and sculptural luminosity will blend together for a bold and dynamic visual display in “Emotional Expressions in Color,” opening July 7th from 5-7pm at the gallery. This group exhibition will highlight the work of sculptor Suzanne Wallace Mears alongside painters Stephanie Paige, Liz Barber and Elizabeth Hahn. The painters in the show compliment each other’s aesthetic; Stephanie Paige’s horizontal hues ground us in a meditative color experience while Liz Barber’s bursts of floating forms excite our psyche. Elizabeth Hahn brings us back to reality with her figurative work, which also continues to immerse us in vibrant displays of color but with whimsical patterning.
Paige’s symmetrical compositions typically lend themselves to square and rectangular picture planes, however for this exhibition the artist has produced circular shaped paintings with a similar aesthetic. In “Be True” and “Luna’s Ocean,” variations of a single color tone blend together and are balanced around a contrasting line of pigment. Pleasing for our eye and mind, Paige’s pigment and plaster paintings are representative of awe-inspiring moments found within the natural world.
Barber is similarly inspired by nature and its seasonal rhythms. The Georgia artist favors the springtime when waves of color and intriguing shapes begin to emerge from the environment. Barber’s excitement for the season shows in her work; many of her paintings are named for the spring season’s cool rain, soft light and sweet song. “I typically focus on botanical elements,” says Barber of her work. “Buds popping out on tree limbs, flower petals emerging, grass pushing through the ground…this is the inspiration for this body of work.”
Hahn has a more representational and POP art approach when it comes to portraying her experience with nature. The Santa Fe artist inserts curtailed figures into her snapshot compositions of juxtaposed patterns and bright colors. Most of her work is focused around feet and their intimate interaction with the environment; blue high heels dance across wood floors while patterned cowboy boots traverse a desert environment. “Walking has always been my exercise, my therapy and where all my ideas for art come to me,” explains the artist of her preferred subject matter. Hahn’s body of work is a joyful reminder of life’s simple pleasures and wondrous views, while acting as a welcomed contrast to the otherwise abstract aesthetic of the exhibition.
Are You Late for a 10:30 Class?, Elizabeth Hahn, 30×30″ acrylic
Join us for the opening reception of this exuberant exhibition on Friday, July 7th from 5-7pm at the gallery.
