The Maude Kerns Art Center is proud to present two shows to open the 2023 exhibits season on January 13: “Interbeing,” featuring the work of regional and local artists Mary Garrard, Donna Henderson, Jan Lintz, Teresa Myrmo, and Susan Thomas, and “Rhythms,” showcasing the work of Anca Browne. The public is invited to an Opening Reception on Friday, January 13, from 5 – 7 pm. Both exhibits are on view through Friday, February 10.
Interbeing features the work of regional and local artists Mary Garrard, Donna Henderson, Jan Lintz, Theresa Myrmo, and Susan Thomas. The five artists first began to meet online during the pandemic for a weekly Open Studio offered by local abstract artist Zoë Cohen. Over time they noticed that their individual works reflected each other’s influence in myriad ways. “Interbeing” includes both individual and collaborative abstract paintings and works in mixed media.
Corvallis artist Mary Garrard exhibits works on paper using collaged elements and paint, charcoal, or graphite, building up layers until the piece is resolved. Garrard says: “I am interested in what happens when I let go of depicting reality and jump straight into arranging the visual elements on a substrate without reference to anything outside the artwork itself.” Her work has been shown in various art galleries in Oregon, including the Art Center of Corvallis and the Giustina, Fairbanks, and Concourse Galleries at OSU.
Maupin, Oregon artist Donna Henderson exhibits mixed media works created in what she describes as a “call and response” process. She starts with a few bold strokes or some collaged paper shapes, and then responds intuitively until the composition takes on a life of its own. Her primary objective is not to represent familiar objects or images, although recognizable images may emerge. Henderson’s work has been exhibited in solo shows in a variety of venues throughout Oregon.
Eugene artist Jan Lintz exhibits abstract works created with a process of layering. Vessels, arches, and repetitive patterns reflect an inner emotional and symbolic landscape. Lintz says of her work: “What may initially appear chaotic often begins to unfold a complex balance over the course of multiple layers, allowing an inherent message or meaning to reveal itself.” Lintz has exhibited in multiple shows at the Maude Kerns Art Center as well as other venues in Oregon and Wisconsin.
Eugene artist Teresa Myrmo practiced Chinese brush painting and Sumi-e painting for 20 years before exploring non-representational abstract painting. She merges two very different styles and techniques in her paintings and mixed media works. Describing her process of exploration, she says: “What I found was how much beauty there is in ordinary, everyday things in life that I had often taken for granted or just overlooked.”
Eugene artist Susan Thomas works intuitively with an eye for pattern, line, shape, and color. Discovering beauty in unusual places, she attempts to reveal what’s under, beside, or behind what she’s seeing. She says: “It’s like shining a light on something previously unseen or sharing a bit of myself in a way I’ve never done before.” Thomas is a member of the Women’s Co-Op Art Gallery in Roseburg and has exhibited her work in multiple Oregon venues.
Rhythms showcases San Diego, CA artist Anca Browne’s many layered, laser-cut felt construction pieces. Browne, who has a background in mathematics and programming, says that she “finds works based on patterns, rules, or rhythms beautiful.” She often introduces certain disruptive elements into her highly structured pieces to enliven the effect. Her works are constructed of many small, laser-cut pieces attached to a supporting back piece. Because of her layered approach, Browne’s work often has a 3-D quality. Browne’s geometric, abstract work has been exhibited in galleries and museums in California, including Las Lagunas Art Gallery and the San Diego Museum of Art, as well as in venues in New York, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
An Artist Talk with the five artists in “Interbeing” takes place at the Art Center on Saturday, February 4, from 2 – 3 pm.
