Hellebore by Laurie Hoen
Tinted gesso, pumice and oil paint on panel, 32x48 inches, 2008
Locust I by Holly Smith
Hand-painted and printed fabrics, stitching, 40x52 inches, 2008
February 26 through March 21
Main Gallery
Laurie Hoen: Artist Statement
My work investigates both the objective and the subjective nature of our intimate relationship with nature. I explore our embrace of both art and science, the realistic and the abstract in our search for the immanence of goodness in creation. From a grain of pollen to a beautiful blossom to a decaying pod, the natural world around us celebrates life's insistence on recreating itself. All around us, nature is quietly dancing to a peaceful song of restoration and balance that offers us hope of a continuance and beauty in spite of the neglect we offer in return. My recent work, in paintings, prints and mixed media, feature the unassuming forms of plants from our backyard gardens and neighborhood walks--some cultivated...some mere weeds.
Holly Smith: Artist Statement
My textile work is about noticing the beauty of natural creation from extreme perspectives. I reference the patchwork quality of landscapes by finding the lines, patterns and color fields in aerial photography and translating them into a textile medium. Looking at land and water from an airborne vantage point feels like reading a good poem. I can't quite determine the precise meaning but the individual phrases and their composition send a shiver of pleasure up my spine. In the same way, I can't exactly identify what I'm seeing from afar, but the beauty of the parts to the whole rings true.
At the other end of the spectrum, I am fascinated with the idea that tiny particles assemble in millions to create patches of land and riverbed threads. It strikes me that the microscopic, enclosed, underground or hidden elements are closely connected to the larger more overt images of nature. I can't fully see the seeds within the pod's protective shawl, nor the connecting trails of underground invertebrates. However, with close inspection and imagination, I suggest the shape and color, texture and trajectory of these agents of change.
The concept of interconnectedness inspires and informs my work. I want to help myself and my audience not to miss close up views of a simple seed pod or the exaggerated texture of a desert path. I also want to show the airborne vantage point of land and water, which may appear monotonous at a close range, but takes on a complex beauty from afar. Appreciating these differing views of disparate parts of nature is part of recognizing the connection between the parts to the whole.
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Opening Reception Fourth Friday
February 26, 7-10 pm
Free and Open to the Public
Departure by Holly Smith
Hand-painted and hand-dyed cotton, machine embroidery, 20x20 inches, 2009
Chestnut by Laurie Hoen
Tinted gesso and oil paint on panel, 32x48 inches, 2008
Midwest Meander by Holly Smith
Monoprints on various fabrics, collaged and fused, 40x40 inches, 2005
Sweet Gum by Laurie Hoen
Tinted gesso and oil paint on panel, 32x48 inches, 2009
Shadows on the Earth, by Holly Smith
Hand-dyed cotton, photo transfer, machine embroidery, 13x13 inches, 2009
Nigella by Laurie Hoen
Tinted gesso and oil paint on panel, 32x48 inches, 2009
Whisper of Vigor by Holly Smith
Monoprints on various fabrics, collaged and fused, 40x40 inches, 2005
Red Bud II by Laurie Hoen
Monoprint on paper, 20x10 inches, 2007
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