the power of color at the scarab club
“The Power of Color features a group of contemporary artists whose use of color spans artistic medium, approach, concept, style, personal history, and more. The presence, manipulation, and richness of color in each piece compels and challenges us to think deeper about ourselves, the present world around us, and a visualization about a future world. The artists do this formally, conceptually, and spiritedly.”
Shirley Woodson’s bold abstract employs loose, gestural marks that create motion circling around the center depicting a spilling sugar bowl and creamer. Vigorous brushstrokes work a range of colors into the scene. Thinly applied paint allows the surface of the canvas to contribute to this swirling, kinetic picture.
Jide Aje offers a triptych of effervescent mixed media compositions. All 3 heavily layer a variety of materials over a painted, patterned background. Untitled #11119 incorporates bits of blue on vivid orange which adds to the exuberance that cannot be contained within its canvas boundaries.
These are classic Carole Harris but in miniature. Framed to 14”x 11”, the actual pieces are maybe 3x4ish representing thoughts that, albeit tiny, are nonetheless fully realized constructions in intriguing palette and texture combinations.
Black River is a mysterious, moody rendering for an artist who traditionally delivers in livelier colorations. This haunting picture’s brushwork illustrates changes in the motion of the water as it curls into a wave or breaks over shallow rocks. The thin blue horizon grants the scene its context and depth.
Forceful and eloquent, large-scale to petit, each of these artists articulates color with individually striking results. Curated by Yvette Rock, the work joyously erupts from the walls declaring the immeasurable richness in the world we share and hope for its future.
“To experience the fullness of color, vision must be possible – vision as it relates to light and the ability to see and vision as it relates to conceptualization and future possibilities.”
"Color is everything, life, present, past, future, emotion...I wish I had another 25 years to experiment with color." -- M. Saffell Gardner
Participating Artists: Jide Aje, M. Saffell Gardner, Carole Harris, Kristyn McKinney, Senghor Reid, Shirley Woodson
On view through March 11th at Scarab Club 217 Farnsworth Detroit
*images are mine unless otherwise noted
direct quote from gallery materials
SHOWS OPEN THIS WEEKEND