|
Homecoming
“The Flowering of Memory”
watercolors by Jeanne Norris
Larson
July 2 – August 9, 2008
Watercolor Workshop
Saturday, August 9
10:00 – 4:00 PM
Gallery Talk
Friday, August 8, 2008
5:00 – 6:30 PM
About the Exhibit
“When I began to think about my Iowa childhood, many of my memories seemed to be associated with flowers—the peonies that always bloomed just before Memorial Day so my parents could bring a beautiful bouquet to the cemetery, the fragrance of lilacs that always tempted me on my walks to school, the roses and tulips at the farms of my favorite aunts, and the pink coneflowers that still remind me of the prairie. The show is a combination of both traditional watercolor and acrylic on paper and even several of my most recent works on canvas.
“I’ve really come to enjoy combining media in a celebration of color and form. I really consider myself a layerist and this curiosity about shapes and the beauty of layering color upon color has lead to an ongoing investigation into design and eventually, the natural evolution of my work into abstraction. I’ve found abstraction a wonderful way to articulate certain ideas and impressions that seemed inexpressible when I restricted myself to watercolor. I will always love watercolor for its spontaneity and its meditative quality, but it’s like asking a mother who is her favorite child. Each kind of paint has such unique and endearing qualities and a wonderful world of opportunity opens to the artist free to experiment and investigate these mysteries.
“The floral paintings in the show seem to whisper of memories and the past, whereas the landscapes of both northern Minnesota and the prairie are more of the present. They are a record of where I have been and what I have seen. They include everything from the totems of Vancouver Island, waterfalls we’ve hiked in winter in northern Minnesota, storms over Lake Superior and the icecliffs of Cutface Creek. I’ve just begun a series on the prairie, a few of which are included in this show. Painting the prairie is my attempt to recreate the beautiful simplicity and wide horizons of my Iowa beginnings. The abstract paintings speak to me of the future. They are more about ideas and concepts, and less about recording a specific time or place—past, present and future. It begins with the flowering of memory and ends by reconnecting with my artistic roots to create an unending circle of creativity.”
Exhibit sponsor:
Matt Furniture
Exhibits are funded through:
sponsorship by a local business or individual(s)
and Operational Support Funding from the
Iowa Arts Council
(a department within the
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs)
for more information please call 712-262-4307 |
