DO WE EVEN KNOW WHAT “THAT” IS?
Gallery Mack is pleased to present Exploring “That” , opening Friday, February 22 from 6 - 8 p.m. An exhibition featuring paintings by Julie Devine, Suzanne Brooker, and Jeane Myer, depicting the interconnectedness between the subconscious, conscious, and material realms — that which may be more astutely described through visual language. Devine’s abstract landscapes convey her connection to the natural and metaphysical world. Brooker’s sharply rendered figures juxtaposed amid imaginary backdrops portray an emotional moment. Myers’ non-representational works are extracted from an abstract thought or feeling to engage new dialog and celebrate the viewer’s individual experiences.
These three pacific northwest-based artists, unique with their individual sensibilities, have created artworks that elicit “that-ness.” Brooker’s figurative oil paintings evoke memory, create metaphor, and incite thoughtful dialog. In the instant gratification world of today, complexity and nuance have been reduced to “that.” Do we even know what “that” is? What element creates a response? Devine pays close attention to the element of light — it's value, source, and temperature. She paints light to convey atmosphere and movement, as though the art was always there waiting to be uncovered, Myers reveals visual truth by scraping away layers of paint, revealing the imagery beneath the surface. Exploring “That” solicits a dialogue between the inner and outer worlds of the human experience as told through the interaction with visual art.
Suzanne Brooker, inspired by the approach and techniques employed by the Old Masters, works primarily from observation. She paints live models and sets, and utilizes her own photo documentation for further studio work. She is a tenured teaching artist at Gage Academy of Fine Art and an author of instructional art books including, Portrait Painting Atelier (2010), Components of Landscape Oil Painting (2015), and Essential Techniques of Landscape Drawing (2018). She has a BFA from the California Institute of the Arts and an MFA from California State University, Long Beach, where master figurative painter Domenic Cretara was her graduate mentor.
Julie Devine, a Gage Academy of Fine Art graduate, explores the wild beauty of Western North America. She paints the landscape, combining gestural brushwork and knife work into a distinctive, semi-abstract style. Her art communicates a spirited appreciation for the outdoors and for impressionist, post-impressionist, and abstract expressionist painting styles. Her works have been exhibited and privately collected internationally. You may see several of her landscapes in Seattle’s Group Health Hospital’s permanent collection.
Jeane Myers’ wabi-sabi aesthetic transcends the divide of humanity and nature. Her works are are textured with heavily layers of mixed media. Her creative process, tools, and palette are adventitious and sometimes awkward, which she describes as “beautiful because it is honest, it's real, and it's unique.” She relies heavily on the concept of truth telling in her work, believing that if she is honest with herself in production, the painting will reflect that, and the viewer may find a truth of their own within it. Myers’ is represented nationally.
