May 2009
Marriage of Heaven and Earth
Asian Style Brush Paintings by Zoe Alowan and fiber art creations of Nancy Pagani grace the gallery this month in a "Marriage of Heaven and Earth".
Alowan "Waterfall Down Wu Mountain"
Zoe Alowan
Asian Style brush painting
Zoe Alowan has been painting since before she could skip rope. From ages 4 to 14 she studied with Impressionist, Alma Gardner. She was first introduced to Asian brush painting 1973, and though adept in many mediums, she remains fascinated with 13th century Taoist painting.
“My work bridges East and West, Heaven and Earth. I consider myself a contemporary American artist working in the Taoist tradition of landscape painting.” ~ Zoe Alowan
Nancy Pagani: Circle Game
Nancy Pagani
Textile Art
I get up in the morning to work with fiber. This passion began when I was a child and has gone through different phases – surface design, quilting, weaving. There is always another technique, another design to try, another problem to solve.
My work is based on a grid. The quality of orderliness inherent in a grid provides a framework in which to explore any number of questions. Many works are based on the Fibonacci number sequence, using pieces of fabric cut to this formula, which is the basis of the golden mean.
Sometimes I use commercial fabrics for their colorful exuberance. Other times, I use fabric that I dye and paint. These are the pieces that I feel closest to because I have created the elements that comprise the whole. The process is as important to me as the finished product.
Using images from nature, I search for a non-directive simplicity that will allow viewers to experience their own feelings about my pieces.