A Tale of Two Studios: THEN and NOW

I have a solo exhibition titled THEN and Now at the Upstream Gallery, Hastings on Hudson, NY (October 1-25, 2020),  showing collage paintings I created before the COVID 2019 shutdown, new collage paintings I created in a temporary studio in a small bedroom in my apartment in Pelham, NY (when my studio was shut down due to COVID), and newer collage paintings I created when my Media Loft studio was open again. Upstream Gallery is located at 8 Main Street, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY,  is  open, and the public can visit wearing masks and keeping required social distances. Gallery hours are Thursday to Sunday, 12:30 – 5:30.  For a private appointment to see works in person, please email: nancy@nikkal.com.

 

Here is a link to Artsy to see images of my October 2020 exhibition installed at Upstream Gallery. See a few more images below.

 

 

The image here is a photo of two of  my new works installed on site at the gallery. Photo: Janine Menlove. Both are mixed media collages on panel. The single panel is titled DEEP DIVE and is 24×24 inches. The diptych is titled LYRICA, 40×40 inches (each panel is 40×20 inches). I created these works in my studio in a technique that combines layers of collage papers and acrylic media, shows texture, gloss and semi-gloss surfaces and is done in a process called acrylic encaustic.

 

 

 

 

THEN and NOW includes older works that are mixed media collage on paper and framed with Plexiglas or glass, all created in the studio before COVID. The newer works are both tiny (and large) and all on panel without frames.

 

 

 

 

The image here shows 6 collage paintings on panel, all part of the Curvy Geometric series that are installed as a grid at the Upstream Gallery. Each work is mixed media collage, 12×12 inches and framed at 14×14 inches. I worked back into 3 works (in their frames!) during the COVID lockdown, adding papers and acrylic paint. Photo: John Maggiotto. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The image here is a 12×12 inch collage painting I started in my temporary studio in May and finished at my Media Loft studio in September. It’s titled B2B Pillars, and includes papers, canvas, paint and various acrylic gels and fluid media.

 

There are 34 works in the show, THEN and NOW.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I want to add – I feel lucky. I am well, safe and not personally affected by tragic loss of loved ones and colleagues due to COVID, lucky because I found a way to work in a temporary studio and was actually productive during the lockdown. I feel lucky I found a way to stay connected with family, friends and colleagues via Zoom and Facetime, and lucky I learned valuable new techniques for working with collage and acrylic paint media via Zoom classes in July and August.