Mario Avati, Le Corbeau (The Raven)
Recommended by Nikki (Fine Print Photographer & Content Publisher):
"Mario Avati’s piece Le Corbus (Raven) seems macabre, but there is a beauty found in sitting with death in this still life. By posing the bird like this, Avati has carefully highlighted the raven and all the interesting facets of its wings, face, body, and feet as the viewer’s eye moves from the top left of the mezzotint to the bottom right, across a clear diagonal. This image is a study of light, texture, and shape - referencing the rich history of Dutch still life paintings. The milky eye of the bird ‘looking’ directly at the viewer also serves as a memento mori, a reminder that death happens to everyone eventually."
Ben Beres, Your Heart
Recommended by Paige (Collections Manager):
"Ben Beres consistently surprises me in the ways that he can make me laugh and make me cry. Beres creates a range of works from bold and direct to intricate and convoluted. For me, Your Heart is so wonderful because it is visually bold but the feelings it carries are complicated and intricate. The print is hot pink and punchy, overstated and simple. But its simplicity also gives it honesty and shows raw emotion. The language reminds me of a teenage tantrum yet with a deep and dark emotion behind it. The words seem painstakingly handwritten, not elegantly but heartbreakingly. First it seems inviting, then it brings you to your knees."
Art Werger, Passage
Recommended by Rebecca (Gallery Manager):
"Art Werger always puts mezzotint to good use and he uses it to its fullest in this dark, snowy scene. Passage has all of the best elements of a night scene - high contrast, shadows, reflections, and mystery. The subtle differences in the footprints tell you which figures are coming and which are going, but their faces are obscured by darkness and their umbrellas fighting against the wind. I feel cold but comforted imagining myself in the quiet night, my footsteps muted by the snow. The lighting and depth of view reminds me of other great artists like John Sloan and others of the 1920s-40s. It is a beautifully executed, timeless scene."
Amy Sands, Revolution XXIX
Recommended by Sam (Owner & Director):
"Sands is a Minneapolis based artist whose work is known nationally and internationally. She strongly embraces what she calls "women's work" and the often neglected appreciation of the art behind the craft and the making of utilitarian objects like needlepoint doilies intended for use around the home. Many of her images celebrate the beauty, delicacy and how labor intensive these commonplace pieces were. In her Revolution series the artist uses the layering of multiple processes to reference the beauty and complexity of such forms."
Taizo Minagawa, The Farmer's House at the Foot of Mt. Suzuka, Miie Prefecture
Recommended by Emma (Marketing & Communications Manager):
"A country kitchen, a cat, and a delightful palette of soothing hues - is there anything more inviting than this little farmhouse scene? Minagawa layers bold shapes and lines into an lively and detailed scene, with perfect pops of color to compliment the shades of teal. I'd certainly like to step into this world."
