Ready for Art Therapy?...and other notions

So, I joined up with artist Quinton Bemiller's gallery tour at Bergamot station, and I wanted to share some of the highlights from it that spoke to me. (Quinton is an accomplished and knowledgable artist who speaks about exhibitions like no other guide or docent. His gallery tours are not to be missed.)
I really enjoyed seeing the luminous work of one of the top abstract painters Jimi Gleason at Patricia Faure Gallery. Reminiscent of Rothko, in the sense that you could just sit there and meditate in front of large fields of color for days, but with a textured and unique application of oil paint which made it feel fresh, real, and intriguing.

I was also impressed by the showing in Shoshana Wayne Gallery of the work of Brad Spence. Inspired by clinical psychology, his show "Art Therapy" has a relaxing and healing quality true to its name. As soon as I walked into the space I felt instantly relaxed. And, like with the work of Gleason, I felt my eyes relax as I gazed deeply into and almost past these paintings - the way it feels when I look at the horizon outdoors. I suppose that is the feeling of infinity, and if I can feel it in a painting, that's something.

The work of Susan Woodruff at William Turner Gallery was a fun fluid romp, kind of like looking like a Georgia O'Keefe painting underwater.

But it was the work of David Allan Peters at Ruth Bachofner Gallery at our last stop at Bergamot Station that really took the cake. Ruth came out and spoke to us about Peters' work, which was a real treat. Imagine the patience of painting layer upon layer upon layer upon layer, then using handmade tools to carve out shapes that expose beautiful rings of color in minimal elegant composition...and that's just for the paintings....then, gather the carved-out bits and make a colorful sculptures too. Talk about eye candy. It is, simply put, rockstar friggin' awesome.

:: bogna ::