An Open Studio Art Show

Sunday, July 17th | 3-7 pm EST

1129 Woodmere, Traverse City

Unit K, Tru Fit Trouser Building

A Summer Perspective is inspired by time spent on the shores of lake Michigan. It felt wrong sending this collection off to galleries before giving our local lake lovers an opportunity to view it! Continue reading to learn about the variety of works on display, and a special new local wine label that will be available!

Painting is my preferred way of meditating on, and responding to, the energy and nostalgia found in the nature and social culture around me. In that way, my art and life intersect, each informing the other. My work is not intended to reflect the perceived beauty or realism of a scene as observed in a photograph. Rather, it is my attempt at documenting an ethnography of sorts with paint. I often paint from a perspective allowing the viewer to be one of the subjects. I invite you to explore this research alongside me.

In my life, the beach has always been a place to gather and communicate - an extension of the dinner table. But what is it about the beach that brings an ease to these conversations? Is it that we’re all in bright moods from basking in the sun? Sensory systems calmed by the sound of the waves and wind on our face? Or perhaps, in swimsuits barely clothed, we’re all a bit more vulnerable - a bit more open minded? As with most things in life, I’m sure it’s a bit of everything. A combination that uniquely breaks down barriers and welcomes a spectrum of topics, light to heavy. And although our beach days might be fleeting, I strive to channel this ‘summer perspective’ all year round. 

In this collection ‘A Summer Perspective’ I worked off a series of reference photos taken of the same group of people. A simple, yet relevant, reminder that a medley of perspectives is what makes our time spent on planet earth so interesting. Even when recalling shared experiences, everyone’s memory often differs. And how boring would life (and art!) be if we all thought the same? May this body of work serve as a reminder that there is always not just one, but many perspectives to consider. And you are always invited to participate.

In these paintings I’ve continued to examine the relationships between human figures not only in the context of social interaction and how they relate to each other, but how they serve as ever changing hosts for light and shadow casting and subsequently, color pairings. Figures socializing on a sunny beach continues to be my ideal playground for this artistic study of composition and color theory.

Additional Open Studio Works

Test Palettes

Test colors and marks gradually build in layers throughout the evolution of a painting.

My hand swiftly and naturally swipes my brush to assess marks and color relationships.

The visual dialogues of my internal studio banter.

Painted on spare panels or often a large piece of paper to easily sustain the entire creation of a painting.

Removed from the whole; small snapshots from behind the scenes.

Either use a new perspective to join them together, or let them shine as individuals.

Endless options for sharing the process!

There are dozens of palettes that will be available framed and unframed, starting out at 4x6” with the option to be custom embellished and mounted on brown paper on site.

LAKE GESTURES

For the health of my art practice, I regularly explore new subjects, mediums and surfaces. I don’t put pressure on myself to always sell these pieces, many have been torn and paper repurposed. They’re simply exercises - yoga for my brain - helping to strengthen my highest work.

Last year I found myself admiring seascapes by Fairfield Porter and decided to switch up subjects. Generally the lake shows up in the background of my work, but this time I let her play the lead. 

I approached these lake paintings much like I approach a gesture drawing: 

• limit my time spent

• use a medium that can’t be erased or painted over

• in few washes and marks, try to capture the weight and likeness of my subject

A study of paint application and mark making. 

A practice of thoughtful restraint. 

A personification of our fierce lady lake. 

There are three framed pieces with custom matching mats and one unframed piece that will be available for purchase.

Special Guest: SHED Wines

Your art browsing on Sunday may be accompanied by a refreshing glass of SHED Wine! Founded by a dear friend of mine from childhood and her now husband, Chloe and Joey Jensen are based out of Harbor Springs, Michigan. A word from them about their delicious creation:

‘You know that place you go to think, tinker, create? That’s the Shed for us. Shed Wine became a twinkle in our eye in the Shed in our yard in Santa Monica, California. We were inspired by the natural wine scene throughout Central and Northern California and wanted to bring those light, juicy, glou glou tastes back to our home state of Michigan. Shed Wine is created with delicious grapes from Leelanau Peninsula using the native yeast for spontaneous fermentation and leaving the wine unfined and unfiltered – producing an unadulterated Northern Michigan wine. Currently pouring 2021 Riesling and 2021 Wild One Pét-Nat. Become a Shed Head @shedwines !’

We hope to see you there!