Shandra McLane and Susan Wahlrab: Breaking the Mold

McGowan Fine Art announces the opening of “Breaking the Mold” featuring works by Shandra McLane and Susan Wahlrab. The show will run from November 13 – December 14, with an artist’s reception on November 16 from 5 to 7 PM.  The public is welcome.

In her latest works, Susan Wahlrab pushes her handling of watercolor to a new level.  Heavily layered pigment defies the expected fluidity typical of this medium.  Wahlrab’s paintings appear at first glance like traditional oil paintings. However, her technique of layering watercolor on clay board enhances the slick, satin-like surface.

Wahlrab’s compositions are filled with streams of sunlight that twist through entanglements of flora and rushing water, and come to rest just beyond reach. Her compositions at times appear almost abstract, with swirling lines and heightened colors such as in “In Color”. Yet, she still captures a sense of “quiet spaces…we are all part of – but are often unaware.”  Her originality of technique and compositional pluralism creates a body of work that is a must see.

Shandra McLane achieves luminous, satin-like surfaces reminiscent of Wahlrab, by piecing together glass like a puzzle. The distinct interior and exterior designs of her vessels are fused together as a single pane of glass. The whole pane is then placed atop a hollow form in a kiln for about 30 hours and allowed to slump into a bowl form. The corners are then cut off to complete the bowl and sandblasted to give the surface a matte finish. The color is heightened in the translucent vessels when light comes through, giving a hint of pattern on the other side. McLane will also have wall pieces on display.

Corporate Project - Rivier University

McGowan Fine Art completed an installation of artwork for Rivier University, located at 420 South Main Street, Nashua, NH. The project was completed for the university’s new Office of Global Engagement which exists to create and integrate a comprehensive Rivier University program that diversifies the student population internationally while expanding campus-wide global experiences, awareness and understanding.  

Amanda McGowan Lacasse, Corporate Art Consultant for McGowan Fine Art, selected a series of photos and prints for the main office and conference area, utilizing international travel photos from staff members. Lacasse also assisted in arranging a series of photographs from international students at the university.

McGowan Fine Art has over 30 years of corporate consulting experience, and has worked with corporations and businesses of all sizes throughout New England. Corporate art selections have ranged from original art, to high quality reproductions, or historical photographs.

Please call Amanda Lacasse at 603-225-2515 for more information.

Corporate Project - Emerson Ecologics

McGowan Fine Art of Concord, NH completed a project for the new corporate headquarters of Emerson Ecologics, at 1230 Elm Street, in Manchester, NH.  Emerson Ecologics is dedicated to providing the highest quality nutritional supplements, service solutions and educational support to healthcare practitioners to improve the lives of their patients.

Amanda McGowan Lacasse, Corporate Art Consultant for McGowan Fine Art selected original artwork and reproductions that emphasize the company’s focus on nature, and also helped arrange & install existing artwork in conference rooms, workspaces, and private offices.

McGowan Fine Art has over 30 years of corporate consulting experience, and has worked with corporations and businesses of all sizes throughout New England. Corporate art selections have ranged from original art, to high quality reproductions, or historical photographs. 

Please call Amanda Lacasse at 603-225-2515 for more information, or visit McGowan Fine Art’s website at www.mcgowanfineart.com, or contact amanda@mcgowanfineart.com .

Ralph Stone Jacobs at The Hargate

I was able to attend the opening of Ralph Stone Jacobs paintings at The Hargate at St Paul's School in Concord, NH. Colin Callahan is the director. It is always fun to see how someone else will present the work of one of your artists. 

It is always problematic to hang lots of little pieces in a large room, but Colin opted for one of my favorite solutions. Rather than trying to fill the space by grouping the paintings he created a rhythm by hanging the small pieces at eye level. He also grouped the paintings thematically. All the Button Bay paintings hang together; all the still lifes hang together. 


The show is designed as a teaching aid for students so there is an emphasis on Stoney's process - namely several unfinished paintings. This will be appealing to artists and others who just like to know how he does it.

One of my favorite paintings in the show is "Jonesport #4". It is a loosely painted scene of fog rolling over rocks. The colors perfectly depict the softening effect that mist has on colors. The gestural  brush strokes reproduce the feeling of mist wrapping around an object. The horizon line is non-existent, the foreground and background a perfect field of atmospheric grey. The painting shows great artistic economy. 

 

Another exceptional painting is Amonoosuc Lake.There is a broader range of colors than in other paintings. The lake is dark black and reflects the sky and trees. Stoney uses brighter greens to portray the  raking light catching the tops of the trees. Autumnal russets line the shore. I accompanied an art appreciator to see this show and he also picked this painting out as exceptional. I think the composition, stepped back shore line and color palette make this a visually intriguing piece.

This show will be hanging through October 20 and there will be a second artist's reception taking place on October 12 from 6:30-8.