It’s said a new year represents a world of possibilities. The Pacific Grove Art Center’s first exhibits of 2016 reflect the proverb.
Though the four shows differ greatly, they all contain an imaginary element that makes them arresting and original.
Photographers Linda Fitch and Brett Thomas are known for their gelatin silver prints of black-and-white images. The abstract side of nature features prominently in Thomas’ photography; through dramatic contrast, he turns something as simple as grass poking through snow into a thing of stark beauty. Similarly, Fitch captures the mysterious and striking aspects of night in landscapes across Venice and Scotland.
In Antje Woolum’s show, Creating My Own Reality, her images edit the world as we know it to fit her own terms. Through crazy angles, close-ups and contrast, her abstract photographs bring out elements of everyday objects, from whimsical vegetables to a trio of beached mannequin heads, that require a double-take.
In Marie Noorani’s hands, paper takes on textures of stone, scrap metal, glass and brick. The inclusion of wire and ink, to create the illusion of stitches and rivets, adds a Frankenstein-like element. Then she gives her finished pieces inventive titles such as “The Starving Time” and “Hotel Iguana.”
Carol Aust’s figurative paintings, with their loose brush strokes and soft colors, complement the show’s wealth of photography. A great deal of humanity shows up in her work: solitude, safety, celebration, and above all, hope.
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