REVIEWS:
”I first saw Zanetka's work "in the flesh" so
to speak when I visited her studio. I was bowled over! It was
lush, painterly with a wonderfully quirky sensibility. Why for
example would sheep be grazing amongst overlarge beach balls or
beneath a pink ball gown hung on a clothesline? Questions that
I still occasionally ponder. Zanetka's imagery has the ability
to entrench itself in the mind and an ability to resurface at
will. A field of sheep, for example, will instantly trigger memories
and bring a smile to the lips.
At the time, I was curating a collection of original art by local
artists for the guest rooms of a stylish hotel in Seattle. After
my visit to her studio, I pressed Zanetka to paint as many pieces
as she could and, happily, she complied. Hotel Max owns 18 of
her richly colored paintings and according to the front desk staff
it is her work that draws the most compliments from the hotel
guests.”
Tessa Papas, curator
PRESS RELEASES:
Bella Perla Gallery
During the month of June, Bella Perla Gallery in Portland, Oregon
will be exhibiting the work of Seattle artist Zanetka K. Gawronski.
Zanetka’s acrylic on canvas paintings focus on moments in
our daily lives that are ‘in between’ moments; the
times during which we are preparing for or focusing on other activities,
and are usually preoccupied with other matters –these are
the times Zanetka taps for memorializing in an intimate and colorful
format. Although raised in the U.S., much of Ms. Gawronski’s
work retains an old-world feel indicative of her Slovakian heritage,
made more compelling due to her choice of timeless subject matter.
In “Night Flight”, for instance, a hot air balloon
floats through the night sky framed from the perspective of being
seen through arched bridge supports reminiscent of Roman aqueducts.
In the painting “Sanctuary”, we see a girl (or woman)
from above, looking down on her through the branches of a tree,
as she walks toward her goal (and her Sanctuary): a swing suspended
by rope from tree branches, the same branches through which we
are viewing the scene below.
Ms. Gawronski’s work shows an imaginative bent that demonstrates
a deep sympathy for and understanding of human nature, which is
a refreshing phenomenon in our ‘corporate’ culture,
and also unusual in the art world. She couples this sympathy with
discipline to make paintings that are technically well executed,
as well as aesthetically pleasing.
Curated by Julie Martin, MFA
Show Dates: June 1st –June 29th, 2006
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