Using digital manipulation, Karen Savage transforms domestic objects into works of art. With the 'ebb and flow' process, Nathaniel Galka creates his works. Tom McDonald reflects upon his passion for the wilderness. Jessica O'Hearn questions the relationship between the natural and artificial worlds.
Karen Savage
Constellations
archival ink jet prints
Using digital manipulation techniques, Karen Savage transforms domestic
objects into arresting works of art that transcend the mundane nature of
their original materials. In ³Constellations,² she converts doilies into
stellar bodies in an attempt to transport the commonplace, the
insignificant, to the realm of the ethereal. In doing so, she notes the
fleeting quality of each: just as constellations exist temporarily, passing
into and out of being with startling yet predictable quickness, so does the
human life. Her work presents an exploration of temporality that extends
far beyond the decorations themselvesit encompasses the cosmos.
---
Nathaniel Galka
Flora Domicile...
painting
Rather than directing the progression of his work, Nathaniel Galka allows
the work to direct itself. That is, the ³ebb and flow² process with which
he creates pieces, such as those featured in Flora Domicile, demonstrates a
mentality of seamless transitionno piece contains a clear beginning or end.
Such free development yields works characterized by a host of unique
tensions, as vast planes of color collide with minute areas of refined
detail, and unrestrained movement meets controlled stillness. Like the
nature that Galka¹s work evokes, the dissonant components of each piece
evolve together, resulting in a balance that is ultimately harmonious.
---
Tom McDonald
North Woods
bas relief
In North Woods Tom McDonald reflects upon his long-enduring passion for the
wilderness, celebrating its formative presence in the social, familial, and
spiritual aspects of his life. Influenced by early Italian renaissance
altarpieces as well as the pop art period, the pieces in this exhibition
demonstrate a nostalgia that is in one moment comical, in another deeply
meaningful. North Woods presents a skillful series of reminiscent
reliquaries that honor the artist¹s outdoor experiences, both past and
present.
---
Jessica O¹Hearn
Balance
work on paper/sculpture
By juxtaposing organic shapes with manmade materials and irregular forms
with structural elements of control, Jessica O¹Hearn questions the
relationship between the natural and artificial worlds, as well as the role
of the human within them. The sculptures presented in Balance offer a
commentary on the nature of the human condition relative to its
surroundings, in which, O¹Hearn believes, individuals seek comfort because
they are vulnerable. The fact that she uses synthetic materials to create
natural forms not only calls attention to the human desire for support, but
also the fleeting quality of the structures created to provide such
reinforcement.
Image: Karen Savage, Constellation #9, archival ink jet print, 2011, 23.5" x 23.5"
Artist’s Reception: Friday, July 13, 5-8pm
Packer Schopf Gallery
942 W. Lake - Chicago, IL 60607
Gallery Hours: Tuesday Saturday 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM