Although we don't really have curvy walls, this panoramic photo nicely dovetails with the title of The Island Gallery's August, 2017 exhibition: Expanding Vistas. Our First Friday Artwalk patrons were welcomed to a wonderful treat indeed, the quiet joy of Jen Till's ever-pleasing oil paintings. Jen, a resident of Bainbridge Island, is one of our many extraordinary local artists, and her distinctive, gauzy style never fails to draw in and entrance the viewer.
Here we will share a few moments from the Artwalk, for which we had a good turnout despite the very hot weather and overcast, orangey skies, brought to us by the many wildfires in British Columbia. The food, provided by Metro Market, vanished as usual (more about that below) and the crowd was thoroughly entertained by The Tracie Marsh Band, featuring ultra-talented Tracie on vocals while simultaneously playing her bass viol; delightful! We'll give you a look at Jen's beautiful new paintings, which may also be seen on her Artist's Pages; simply click on this link for a tranquil stroll through her impressive body of work.
(You can also go directly to the paintings shown below via their individual links to her Artist's Pages.)
First, here's Jen herself, beside her glorious abstract, Sea Mother, a cool and complex treat for a special room:
In this collection Jen wields a newly loose brush,
incorporating greater liquid and flow
into her paints, to pleasing effect. Showing an easy familiarity with her medium -
oils on board and canvas - she continues to translate the beauty of her natural
surroundings into studies of landscapes and objects, creating gauzy, accessible,
yet highly personal works of emotion and memory. This piece, Sea Mother,
is notable in Jen's portfolio as it is her first major entirely abstract piece.
Jen's childhood was spent close to the seaside, absorbing the wonders
of her natural surroundings; this luminous creation reflects
those experiences.
is notable in Jen's portfolio as it is her first major entirely abstract piece.
Jen's childhood was spent close to the seaside, absorbing the wonders
of her natural surroundings; this luminous creation reflects
those experiences.
This piece was displayed with a poem that
often serves to inspire Jen as she works:
Enhancing the beckoning Dreaming of a Northwest Passage is
a beautiful floral grouping, provided by local florist Flowering Around.
For many years, these great folks have delighted us with their
elegant approach to flower arrangement. They sent along
two for the evening, specially matched to the paintings.
Morning Promise rises behind a cluster of fragrant, pale
lilies, roses and freesia.
As we can see, Jen is very comfortable working in large formats, but displayed with
the large horizontal pieces - some can be seen above, with Morning Promise and
Dreaming of a Northwest Passage - are several of her smaller works, which are
equally enchanting. Make sure to include a good, long look at these little gems
when you visit the show: Their tranquillity settles in the soul.
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| An Artist's Tools |
Displayed during the show to offer a more intimate peek inside Jen's studio
are objects she uses in her work, from the able helpers of brushes to
sources of her inspiration - including the autoharp she often plays.
Jen chats with patrons and fellow artists, including Mark and Janet,
(above). Janet's glorious floral brooches were much in evidence during
the evening. Here's a peek at her work, which Karen used as a wrist accent
to soften the look of a modern wrap bracelet/necklace from NEO.
(Janet's work can be seen on her Artist's Pages; NEO's terrific neoprene
jewelry is also available in the Gallery and online right here.)
(Janet's work can be seen on her Artist's Pages; NEO's terrific neoprene
jewelry is also available in the Gallery and online right here.)
How's that for a great summer statement?
One last serene look:
A long side view of Morning Mist, a smaller vertical work,
nicely set off by mottled blue-green hydrangeas.
Oh, and about that vanishing food?
This is some of what disappeared, and those wonderful lemon bars!
Bainbridge Island's splendid Metro Market did it again!
Bainbridge Island's splendid Metro Market did it again!
Stay tuned for information on our September show, as well as the next
Gallery Picks Newsletter. If you'd like to sign up to receive our news
directly in your inbox (and you really should!), it's easy:
Have a wonderful August, and enjoy the celestial art
coming up on August 21st - the Solar Eclipse!
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