FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Please List
“DISSIMILARITIES”
June 2-July 3 2021
Virtual reception June 10th, 6pm
* Rosemary Lyons * Arlene Finger * Nancy Nicol * Michael Reck *
* Katia Bulbenko * Charles Hildebrandt * Vernita N’Cognita *
Chelsea NY: Viridian Artists is pleased to present an exhibition of outstanding art by seven artists who are part of Viridian Artists' Affiliate program. The show opens June 2nd and continues through June 26th, 2021. Viridian is currently open, but you can also see this fascinating exhibit virtually on the Viridian Artists website at www.viridianartists.com. There will be a virtual reception June 10th at 6pm on zoom. To attend, email viridianartistsinc@gmail.com for an “e-vitation”.
Color is important to the seven artists in this exhibit and a sense of layering inhabits all their works, but they are particularly united in their unique visions and their dissimilar response to today’s reality.
Though both work abstractly and in multiple layers, the similarities in Michael Reck’s & Katia Bulbenko’s art end there. Michael Reck states "I have been using oil pigment sticks for the past few years, making brushes and solvents unnecessary. The paintings are built of many layers over time. After three months away from my studio last year I began mixing the colors on the canvas with my (gloved) hands and fingers. These are the first paintings completed using this technique."
Katia Bulbenko’s art crosses over the boundaries of media, utilizing a wide variety of materials, at moments harkening back to the soft sculpture of the 70’s while at other times layering her work with texture, color and form. The artist says “I layer organic shapes inspired by the forms and textures found in nature, landscape and eroded natural objects such as shells and rocks. Experience in textile design and silk painting, plus my training as a printmaker, have contributed to the way I work utilizing pattern, surface design, shapes, and layers. These assemblages are at the crossroads of sculpture, fiber art and painting. Through color and composition, each piece belongs to a realm of its own. Being made up of fragments, I also like to think of each completed assemblage as an object and a fragment, part of a larger whole, creating connection with the viewer to the universal feeling of all belonging to the same fabric.”
Charles Hildebrandt and Arlene Finger both begin their process in observing reality, but neither could be called realists for they each add their own meaning and techniques of presentation. Charles states, “The majority of this body of work comes from a memory, or an extension of an image from a photograph taken. However, few of them are literal translations of either; they are combination of memories, pictures, and interpretations. Hopefully, in viewing these, one senses a place both real and imagined in nature, and a sense of belonging to it.” Arlene Finger often portrays the view outside her window or simply objects on a table but twists the viewers perspective and often puts the composition askew.
Rosemary K. Lyons collection of 5x7 & 4x6 paintings of different flowers on gold leaf with words like “hag”, “bitch”, “chick”, “siren” in calligraphy is a series that came about “because my work was censored out of a "WOMAN'S ISSUES" exhibition.” The title of the work is “AD NAUSEUM, WORDS USED TO PUT WOMEN DOWN SINCE SHAKESPEARE'S TIME”.
Both Nancy Nicol & Vernita N’Cognita use collage to tell a story, but each does so in different ways and with different intents. Nicol states “I collage with various materials including comics, ads, patterns and found scraps and applying paint, pencil and wax to layout imagined neighborhoods and destinations – often the paper itself has a story to tell.” N’Cognita, deeply concerned with the environment and upcycling, both curates and creates with discards. In this exhibit, she shares collages made from fashion magazines and junk mail “for it justifies my perusing the magazines and hating junk mail. I never can throw either away for I must save both to upcycle into the making of art.”
Viridian has created several programs to give outstanding “underknown” artists an opportunity to have their work seen. Our Affiliate program allows artists to show a small series of artworks annually. We look forward to your seeing this outstanding art and perhaps adding a piece of it (or two) to your collection.
Viridian is currently operating virtually as well as being open to the public
Wednesday – Saturday 12-6pm
For further information please contact Vernita Nemec, Director or Jenny Belin, Assistant Director
Also, visit instagram @viridianartistsinc or our website at viridianartistsinc@gmail.com &
see past exhibits on You Tube @Viridian Artists Gallery.