Studio Gallery is open to the public from Wednesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays from 1pm to 6pm and on Saturdays from 11am to 6pm. Masks are recommended but optional. To schedule a visit, please contact director@studiogallerydc.com or call (202) 232-8734.
After Tradition
Freda Lee-McCann
Curated by Adah Rose Bitterbaum
May 24 - June 17, 2023
“The Poet Speaks” by Freda Lee-McCann
I have always painted Chinese landscapes. Sometimes I have introduced new elements into the classical paintings - stronger colors, adding collages of my own calligraphy and my paintings, or less traditional textures. Over time my landscapes have become less traditional, but still the classical landscape was there.
In this body of work, the landscapes are no longer the main focus, the collages are. The landscape starts at the middle ground, then recedes into the distance, while the collage is in the foreground. There is a transparent layer of written poetry between the landscape and the collage. The poetry is written in very light tone, not necessarily to be read by the viewers. This gives the landscape a feeling and a memory. The collage pieces are bolder than the landscape - they are abstract shapes from the calligraphy of a poem, often the characters are not recognizable.
The poem that ties all the paintings together was written by Zhu Yun-Ming a 16 th century poet during the Ming dynasty. He was a scholar and calligrapher, known for his ‘wild’ cursive script inspired by the Tang dynasty master Zhang Xu. I fell in love with his simple poem and wild calligraphy. Unlike the carefully executed and graceful characters of classical calligraphy, Zhang’s characters are written with thick and rounded brushstrokes that project an unrefined strength. The poem is simple, and says that in the fifth month of the year, he was alone in his modest home watching the petals of the cherry blossoms fall in the evening wind. It feels contemplative and introspective. I resonated with his sentiment, and loved his wild cursive script, and I appreciate the breaking with tradition.
First Friday:
Friday, June 2
5-8 pm
Opening Reception:
Saturday, June 3
4-6 pm
Third Thursday:
Thursday, June 15
5-8 pm
Closing Reception:
Saturday, June 17
4-6 pm
In The Lower Gallery
Society of Solitude
Cheryl Ann Bearss
Curated by Mira Hecht
May 24 - June 17, 2023
"Standing Strong" by Cheryl Ann Bearss
My search for solitude - seeking time alone with thoughts and away from everyday demands - is found walking in nature among trees or on a secluded beach at sunrise.
The society I seek is the company of trees, birds, and ocean waves. Looking at a solitary tree or a tree inhabiting a space in the society of neighboring flora and fauna reflects our lived experience of aloneness and community.
This recent series of oil paintings was inspired by my cherished time spent in nature.
First Friday:
Friday, June 2
5-8 pm
Third Thursday:
Thursday, June 15
5-8 pm
Opening Reception/artist talk:
Saturday, June 3
4-6 pm. Talk at 5 pm
Closing Reception:
Saturday, June 17
4-6 pm
Mishpocha (Family)
Deborah Addison Coburn
Curated by Adah Rose Bitterbaum
May 24 - June 17, 2023
“A La Mode” by Deborah Addison Coburn
I've been fortunate to recently inherit my parents’ albums of old family photos. While I can't identify many of the folks pictured, their faces are vibrant and full of personality. Some had been in this country for generations, and others never made it out of Poland.
The names of many of the folks in my pictures have been lost. But in these paintings, I am trying to capture their humanity and pay tribute to my family, my "mishpocha."
Opening Reception:
Saturday, June 3
4-6 pm
Third Thursday:
Thursday, June 15
5-8 pm
First Friday:
Friday, June 2
5-8 pm
Closing Reception:
Saturday, June 17
4-6 pm
In the Garden Gallery
Around the Edge
Wayne Paige
Curated by Deborah Addison Coburn and Miriam Keeler
May 24 - June 17, 2023
“The Nurture of It All” by Wayne Paige
Since 1997 I have retreated to a life inside an imaginary inkwell- a black and white world of duality sprinkled with social commentary and Dreamscape imagery. In the current exhibition “Around the edge” a three-dimensional format is explored with each ink drawing wrapped around a canvas and secured in a shadow box frame giving the work the appearance of a cultural relic. Portrayed within are other worldly landscapes of mountains, waterways and woodlands populated by featureless beings. Many are cliff dwellers seeking escape while others are just engaging in daily activities. Events unfold as a celestial armada encroaches their environment- causing consternation and portending everlasting change. All takes place under a moonlit sky around and over the edge.
The Digital Age has brought upon us a binary kaleidoscope fog blanketing both perception and reality. I think of my art as beyond the fog evolving instead at the bottom of an inkwell. In only working with the traditional media of pencils, pens and paper, my inspiration derives from personal perceptions of contemporary life and the reality of encroachment. Conflict, dreams, and humor are often woven within.
Morocco:
Colors and Shapes
Joyce McCarten
Curated by Deborah Addison Coburn and Miriam Keeler
May 24 - June 17, 2023
“Morocco #1” by Joyce McCarten
Paintings made from earth pigments found in the dry-river beds in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco. All abstract paintings made on site.
First Friday Open House:
Friday, June 2
5-8 pm
Third Thursday Open House:
Thursday, June 15
5-8 pm
“Morocco” Opening Reception:
Saturday, June 3
4-6 pm