Join us for our opening art reception featuring our March 2017 exhibiting artists - Margaret Moench and Marlene Sinicki. Both artists offer compelling examples of how artists feed our community by pushing boundaries and asking necessary questions.
MARGARET MOENCH
Artist Statement: In my current work I use the photographic image as a point of departure. With a process of deconstruction and re-construction the abstracted image challenges perception and visual understanding. My work references the natural world which as been the focus of my art throughout my career. This technique is something I have worked on in many mediums over the years. The exploration of this process continues to challenge me in pursuit of producing beautiful, thought provoking artwork.
About the Artist: Margaret Moench's images are uniquely woven in ways that force us to adjust our perspective – creating a different way for us to appreciate familiar images. Over her career Margaret Moench has developed a technique using non traditional material with traditional woven patterns. With her use of photography in her fractionated re-constructions, she enhances the viewer’s perception of an otherwise familiar or static image. The patterns Margaret weaves into the photographed image create a second work of art within the piece. She typically chooses images that capture natural elements and locations and the peaceful colors of the water, clouds and earth are ever present in her work. Margaret has a studio near the water in Sausalito and lives in San Francisco. More information at http://margaretmoench.com/.
MARLENE SINICKI
Artist Statement: In my show The Sustainability of Beauty, I synthesize the principles of sustainability and life-affirming stories about green living into drawings, paintings and digital illustrations. I created this series to express my curiosity about living within natural limits and how beauty evokes emotions that transform. The question I ask myself is how can I inspire people to reengage with these ideas from a fresh perspective.
The art in the show contains both abstract and representational imagery arranged as a journey, from the molecule to the home. With each image, I challenge convention. In order to gain a wider audience, I invented metaphors for concepts like living within natural limits, interdependency of all life forms, harmony, diversity, cooperation as well as resources like renewables and sustainable water. In the process of developing the work, I discovered that my approach needed to be anchored with the values of hope, empathy and humor. I want to surprise and delight the viewer with conscious activism. My paintings and drawings invoke the natural world with vibrant colors and sensual organic forms. Inspired by the words of Emily Dickenson, I seek ‘that phosphorescence, that light within’ in my art. I make striking paintings on paper with ink, watercolors and pastels. The inky blackness of the dancing strokes and the manipulated pigments allow me to experiment with uplifting styles and palettes.
I draw inspiration for my digital illustrations from activist poster art and billboards. Bright colors, flat surfaces and graphic forms create immediacy with my subject: sustainability. The intent of my art is to spark a breakthrough of concern and passion for the environment. I invite the viewer to be inspired to take action. More information at https://marlenesinicki.com/
