The 'Alchemy of Love' series captivates me, and this piece in particular can lock me in an endless loop. There's a little contradiction – using text and words to tell us 'There are no words here'. My mind can go over that detail again and again. In the end, I love it because this simple contradiction reveals how hard it is to express ourselves or our experiences. We have only words to describe the indescribable. Landsaat also offers twisted vines, knotted branches, and eccentric demons to help us visualize our predicament, but the rest is left to us.
View work: Michèle Landsaat, There are no words here. Drypoint.
Michael Spafford, II. I Was of Three Minds
Recommended by Rebecca:
(Gallery Associate)
This series, '13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird' by Michael Spafford, is the artist's interpretation of a poem by Wallace Stevens. For this piece, the poem reads: "I was of three minds / Like a tree / In which there are three blackbirds." Spafford was a beloved Northwest artist and a teacher at the University of Washington for more than 30 years. His work focused on abstracting mythology into compressed, black and white forms. 'I Was of Three Minds' showcases Spafford's powerful simplicity, where the blackbirds intersect in the figure's mind at the point of a triangle, visible only because of the white grid crossing the black face. It is clear yet complex, perfectly echoing the poem.
View work: Michael Spafford, II. I Was of Three Minds. Woodblock.
Ben Beres, There Is No Why
Recommended by Catherine:
(Collections Specialist / Gallery Associate)
When things fall apart, it's easy to point fingers, dive into analysis, and urgently piece together the reasons why events unfolded the way they did. Ben Beres' marbled monoprint 'There Is No Why' is a beautifully straightforward reminder to give ourselves a moment to let go of our need to find answers and explanations, and allow our minds to rest so our broken hearts can heal. Only with clear minds and strong hearts can we take action together and accomplish the necessary work of repair and growth.
View work: Ben Beres, There Is No Why. Marbled monoprint.
Mary Farrell, Untitled (Woman with branches)
Recommended by Nikki:
(Art Photographer / Marketing and Exhibitions Specialist)
The volatility and energy behind Farrell’s sepia-inked piece is palpable. The figure’s neck, jugular veins, collarbones, and jawline read as both vulnerable and strong, simultaneously. The chaos of the branches that cut across her neck break up three-quarters of the image, carrying the intense feelings across the entire scene with its visual movement.
View work: Mary Farrell, Untitled (Woman with branches). Mezzotint, drypoint.
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