|
|||||||||||||
Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (0)
Benita Rauda Gowen's 'New Directions' opens Sept. 5
Benita Rauda Gowen’s vibrantly colored watercolors of flowers and landscapes are well known to many in Rappahannock County.
Last year she began an intuitive exploration of color and form in collage. This exploration has given form to new work in a show which opens on Sept. 5 at the Middle Street Gallery in Washington. An opening reception for the artist will take place Sept. 6 from 3-6pm. The public is invited.
“New Directions” is a powerful show. Gowen followed an inner direction to arrange color and forms purely by feeling her way into the work. These collage paintings carry the emotional and intuitive qualities of her personal entry into her own inner world. Mystical, abstract, meditative, buoyant, voluptuous and drenched with color and texture, these new works are a very exciting new expression for a seasoned watercolorist. A fluidness of form and clear abstract expression are found in the two flower pieces in the show, compositions that feel strengthened by her inner experiences with the collage work. She found the painting “Dark Tulip” in a dream.
The collages began when Gowen participated in Middle Street Gallery’s collaboration project. Artists in the gallery shared work with one another with an open invitation to elaborate on each original piece. Gowen says working on Pam Pittinger’s art “opened something” and gave her the freedom to continue this kind of work. She followed this direction deep into color. Painting tissue papers to use in the collages, she began using yarns from her years of creative knitting to give her the use of line and continued the layering process with various richly textured and fine fabrics. Her experience with design was given a non-referential lead and she began to play.
The results are breathtaking. “Woven Dreams I” is a diptych collage of boldly feminine forms and colors. “Exuberant Flowers,” a Japanese paper collage with acrylic and watercolor, explodes with color and design. Women’s faces appear in many of the collages, non verbal signs expressing ownership of this deeply feminine work. Having trusted her new directions, Benita’s present work is strong and beautiful. The show runs through Sept. 28 and is also open by appointment by calling the artist at 540-675-2363.
You must be logged in to post a comment.