The title of this show is in part tongue-in-cheek and in part a serious tribute to a tremendously influential artist who alerted the art world to the type of work in this exhibition. “Which artist living or dead would you want to have dinner with – and it wouldn’t be awkward?” one of us asked the other, and both immediately answered, “Agnes Martin!” The reasons we would seek her company likely differ. But all see her work as tremendously significant to their own practice.
Martin opened a door onto abstract and minimalist art that retains the hand of the artist. The artists in this exhibition work on the other side of that door.
Always On: Art and Motherhood
Curated by Kelda Martensen and Paula Rebsom
SOIL Gallery, Seattle WA
2021
Short Hand, 2021
I began the paper piece, Short Hand, to learn how to use the second-hand label maker that I purchased at one of my daughter's playdates. It is made from the used yellow legal pads that I keep throughout the house. The creation of this quilt-like piece is a perfect symbol of how I have expanded my work since becoming a mother. Five and half years ago, I moved away from traditional oil painting with my daughter's birth, naïvely planning to work with her in the studio. While that never came to fruition, it did mark the beginning of my extensive experimentation with materials. My studio practice transformed overnight from a commitment to a slow, purposeful medium to curiosity to try and use anything. Although visually intricate, this piece directly contrasts with the labored drawings and solid wall sculptures that currently fill my studio. This delicate piece is unexpected and acts as a reminder of the value of creating work even in the distracted, stolen moments of home life.
We are thrilled to announce SCALE, an exhibition of large-scale works by our Gallery Artists.
Work by Susanna Bluhm, Sue Danielson, Lesley Frenz, Emily Gherard, Kelda Martensen, Guy Palmer Merrill, Lakshmi Muirhead, and new Gallery Artist Jan Hoy come together for an impactful and comprehensive exhibition of grandeur.
Throughout SCALE, each artist explores the largeness of their materials. These substantial works range from printmaking and collage, oil paint and bronze, to graphite and plaster. An investigation into the larger-than-life in our surroundings, the work intertwines each artist — pushing and pulling off of each other. Each Artist, in their own materials, shows their dynamism in their colossal scale work.