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SUSAN STREET FINE ART GALLERY is pleased to exhibit the new works of Susan Davidoff and Joseph Maruska. Davidoff works in a two-dimensional, microcosmic world of plants and trees primarily using charcoal and organic materials, while Maruska’s three-dimensional, polychromatic abstractions in earth tones and a range of crystal blues appear to reflect the macrocosmic world of earth, water, and light or even the cosmos itself. The visual experience of their work reveals each artist’s personal interpretation of nature and the reinventing of the natural world.
Davidoff’s works are part of an ongoing exploration of structure in nature, and the overlay of systems humans have developed for observing, mapping and defining natural forms and phenomena. Her use of natural elements reflects her long interest in the Chinese concept of “li”—the idea of the organic pattern, order and construction found in nature. The artist observes, sketches, and photographs objects that catch her eye as well as collecting an assortment of organic detritus—juniper berries, clay, rust, lichens, dirt—that find new life in her artwork. These ‘recycled’ natural materials are mixed with traditional artistic mediums—charcoal, watercolor, gesso, wax—to create dramatic and ethereal layered silhouettes of leaves, flowers, and branches, enlivened by surface scratches and natural stains. Extending the range of her work are elegant monoprints, in which the artist weaves multi-layered images, resembling an enlargement of earth’s microscopic world of flora.
Maruska’s aesthetic is more intuitive, his working method thoroughly spontaneous. His abstract paintings reveal a hint of the natural landscape with bold color fields that float on a staccato of smooth and sometimes abrupt surfaces. The artist ‘sketches’ in white modeling compound to achieve a sculptural surface rich in depth and texture. The spines, ridges, fissures and gentle hillocks of paste serve to direct the application of paint, which is guided by the masses and shapes for the application of color and detail to create abstract fields of Turneresque light and shadow. Maruska utilizes stylized gesture to retain an element of representation, clarifying the role of each shadow and protrusion. A closer look will invite a sense of touch and an awareness of space.
The artists challenge the viewer to become engaged in discovering the integration of nature and structure in their works. Both the casual and conceptually minded viewer will find the compositions of each artist to be intriguing in process and technique. NEW WORKS runs February 4th – March 14th, 2009. An Artists Reception will take place on Thursday, February 4th, from 6:00 – 9:00pm. Gallery II will be featuring works from BLACK WHITE. For further inquiries, please contact the gallery at: www.susanstreetfineart.com / 858-793-4442. 415 So. Cedros Ave, Solana Beach, Ca, 92075.
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