Tuesday, September 14, 2010

New work by Laura Wacha- pics coming soon!

As Aunt Bee said to Opie, “Finish your milk. We can’t put it back in the cow, you know.”
Like Aunt Bee, I’ve always been a big fan of finishing what I start. Usually once I declare a painting finished, I don’t go back to it again.
Recently however, I had an idea (Eureka!) to tear an old painting into strips, weave the strips together and paint over the result. The original image of three women on a sofa was fractured by the weaving but was still discernable to me and I used it as inspiration for the image that I then painted over the top. I found the potential for accidental alignments of images intriguing, as well as the option to retain the shapes and patterns of the original piece.
I enjoyed the process so much that I have ripped into strips other “finished” canvases that might benefit from a similar treatment. After painting a few of these reworked pieces, I am now painting pictures with the intent of ripping them up and weaving them together. What fun!
Laura Wacha

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Morris’ river landscapes soothe the spirit



Iva Morris’ (on the left) pastel paintings burst of color, light, and an emotional connection to the rivers and desert landscapes she portrays. This particular show is an exploration of water, river bottoms, the geology and the ecology of a river system, particularly the Potomac where she grew up.





Morris reflects on her special relationship with that river - the cadence of her rhythm, the rise and fall of her flow, the colors, texture and mood that changes with every season.





Despite of Labor Day weekend, we had a nice group of visitors all evening long. Iva is an exceptional artist and incredibly talented painter. Some of you might know her for her super realistic figurative work – three of which are also displayed in the gallery. If you missed the reception, the show will run until September 25. Get a preview at www.matrixfineart.com.