Up and down, back and forth, give and take, push and pull; these are tensions present in the natural rhythm of life that are mirrored in the creative process. “Ebb & Flow”, a collection of abstract works by Shawn Snow, Anne Francey, Allyson Levy, Ragellah Rourke, Bruce Murphy, Vince Vella, and Gary Buckendorf embodies forces of motion, change, and time we embrace with each passing season. After a long winter in the Hudson Valley, this exhibit comes in time to celebrate the swelling signs of spring. On view from April 25 – June 10, 2018, there will be an opening reception for the artists on Saturday, April 28, from 5 – 7 p.m. All are invited to attend.
Shawn Snow’s oil and alkyd paintings harness a sensuous vitality: his new work exhibits powerful restraint with cool, earthly hues and staccato brushstrokes that call to mind heavy rain or surging rivers. The highly excited states of the imagery as observed in the natural world are described by the artist as “beautiful and ominous; dynamic and crashing visually”. The surface texture of the canvas is both smooth and glassy, achieving a depth that suggests an infinite number of layers of oil and alkyd glaze.
Gary Buckendorf’s stormy charcoal drawings are referred to as the “Olivebridge Drawings” referencing the town where he keeps his studio in the Catskills. The series has evolved over three decades following the artist’s move from Manhattan to Upstate New York. Each sheet of paper is distressed, showing age and evolution. Teeming with a dark, vibrating energy, the bold gestural marks in charcoal black, white and gray dare to burst outside of its pristine white shadow box frame.
Ragellah Rourke’s painting on canvas and panel harmoniously combine grace and chaos in equal measure. With surfaces that are built up over time, the surface holds the memory of the painting’s development. Transparent, watery washes of paint are applied over surfaces, the ebb and flow of time and medium exposing marks and textures that unify to create the overall sense of balance.
In contrast, the atmospheric, color field-style works of Bruce Murphy’s and Vince Vella burgeon with hushed turbulence. Layers of wax enrich the vibrantly colorful surfaces of Murphy’s small panels. Vella works with oil pastel to capture the many horizon lines where land meets mountain and sea. Carrie Haddad Gallery donates fifty percent of proceeds from the sale of Vella’s work to charity.
Anne Francey’s observation of the natural world has always been the point of departure in her work, evolving into a constant oscillation between representation and abstraction, organic shapes and geometric order, what’s being shown and what’s being hidden. Whether starting from a flower, a twig, an insect or a moss; Francey simplifies and flattens their shapes, blurring their visual identity to reveal a hidden meaning. On view will be painting on paper and canvas, as well as a selection of ceramic wall sculpture.
Encaustic artist and arborist Allyson Levy combines natural materials with wax in attempts to capture human-animal interaction with nature. Her botanical garden in Stone Ridge, NY offers a wellspring of inspiration for her work, which involves suspending carefully arranged seeds, insects and flora in clear beeswax. Her work communicates Levy’s augmented concern for the fate of the natural world, as the seeds are quite literally preserved by the wax for future generations.
Carrie Haddad Gallery is located at 622 Warren Street, Hudson, NY, open daily from 11 – 5. Please address inquiries to info@carriehaddadgallery.com or (518) 828-1915.
