July 7th to August 1st, 2020
New work by Laurieanne Wysocki, July 7th to August 1st.
Artists use abstraction to push beyond the recognizable world and ornamentation to decorate it. Laurieanne’s recent work explores the relationship between the two concepts in vibrantly colored and highly textured paintings. Identifiable forms and motifs are blended with spontaneous gestural work bringing the two pursuits into a delightful harmony.
Of her work, Laurieanne says: “The eye will automatically seek out familiar forms so I begin by imprinting combinations of patterns into plaster with wood blocks and highlighting details with contrasting colors. I add in interlacing flowers, trailing vines, and spiraling geometric shapes to make the composition rhythmical rather than random. Then I intentionally disrupt the subtle functions of the forms by the addition of more texture or by the removal of some of the plaster with a hand sander. It’s a very process-driven, transformative style. The challenge is to not go too far in one direction and destroy what may have taken months to build up. It’s a fine line and not without risk but if the painting begins to look too predictable I remove what I call the obviousness of it. I’m inspired by the frescoes of antiquity and interested in what remains – the parts that have stood the test of time, whether hidden by nature or intentionally covered up, and are revealed centuries later. The destruction and persistence of the piece is my take on an ancient process.”
About Laurieanne Wysocki:
Laurieanne is a painter and mixed media artist. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts she studied at the Arts Student League in New York City and had her first solo show in 1990. She has traveled the world, both independently and for the last 20 years as a tour director for Road Scholar educational programs and to date has visited more than 80 countries. Her cultural impressions are often reflected in her colorful and intricate paintings.
Laurieanne’s exhibit of paintings and metal assemblage works, “Pentimento”, was shown in the gallery in 2016.
Banner image: detail of Marrakesh, mixed media on canvas, 24 x 48″