Coming Exhibition: Christo Brock, Elsie Dye Sims, Kamil Vojnar

March 25 - April 19, 2014

Opening Reception:
Saturday, March 29, 5-8 p.m.

Artist Talk:
Saturday, April 12, 3 p.m.


Euphonious Eye, Christo Brock

Christo Brock, City / State, 2013 
Photograph on Aluminum 20 x 30 in

Christo Brock’s latest body of photography continues to explore detail in everyday settings. Elegant compositions emerge from macroscopic studies of both manmade and natural landscapes, and the everyday is rendered sublime through subtle use of color and digital paint. Brock zeros in on both color and form to create abstract images separate from his subjects’ original identities. From the languid bend of octopus tentacles to rusted industrial pipes, Brock uses a simple visual vocabulary of color, line, and shape to confront viewers on a visceral level. “I'm drawn to images on an intuitive and emotional level,” says Brock. I trust this reaction to inform what to capture, and, at times, enhance.” Brock adds another dimension to his work by printing his images on metal - further enhancing the bold color and luminosity within his photographs to physically reflect light. The intersection of man and nature is a recurring motif for Brock, as his images depict how the two environments both collide and intermingle in the 21st century.


Coastal Continuum II, Elsie Dye Sims

Elsie Dye Sims, Windswept, 2014 
Hand Colored Woodcut 39.5 x 34 in., ed 1/10

Nature’s cycle is at the root of Elsie Dye Sims’ detailed woodcut designs. The rhythmic ebb and flow of ocean waves, wind-blown flora and fauna are translated into powerful lines and gestural strokes as Sims’ coastal environments take on a bold sense of character. “My attention is drawn to the things in nature and our coast that exemplify the beauty that is found in the process of change,” says Sims. “The refinement and energy that occurs in the midst of wind and weather, the signs of time and transformation, are most compelling to me.” Unlike traditional black and white woodcut techniques, Sims individualizes each of her expressive compositions with color after printing the woodcuts. Her current series of such a large-scale medium convey the energy of the outdoors with a keen attention to the natural nuances of color and texture of the west coast.

Elsewhere, Kamil Vojnar

Kamil Vojnar, Beautiful, 2013 Mixed Media 36 x 36 in.

Ethereal figures inhabit the transcendental environments of Kamil Vojnar’s latest exhibition, “Elsewhere.” Like the fringes of a dream, the artist strips his images of any identifiable time or place, while also providing a sense of emotional familiarity. Religious iconography, flower petals, mechanisms of flight and wings resurface in Vojnar’s current work. “Sometimes there are wings. But those who carry them, they are no angels,” says Vojnar. “They just want to be free. (A) pair of wings is like a passport to get away.” Vojnar’s compositions begin with digitally layered photographs printed on various thin, Japanese papers which are then adhered to canvas or wood. Other images stand alone, printed on heavy art paper. Droplets of wax and oil paint add a tangible dimension to the artist’s photography while simultaneously emphasizing nuances of color and shadow. Vojnar’s subjects evoke an equal sense of mystery and spiritual contemplation in a modern era of uncertainties.