Ann Korologos Gallery presents Imaginative Narratives, a group exhibition showcasing the wild animals of the west in humorous, insightful, imaginative portraits across the mediums of sculpture, mixed-media, oil painting and watercolor. The exhibition features the work of Lisa Gordon, Donna Howell-Sickles, Diana Woods, and introduces watercolor artist Katie DeGroot. The exhibition is on view July 28 through August 9, 2023 ‘under the clocktower’ in historic downtown Basalt and virtually at korologosgallery.com.
Lisa Gordon is a bronze sculptor, born and raised in Southern California. Gordon earned her MFA from CSU, Fullerton, with a Bachelor degree in sculpture and photography. The pathos seen in Gordon’s sculptures arose from the intrinsic love of caring for her horses and were focused with a new appreciation for life after a viral infection at the age of 24 had Gordon on life support and completely paralyzed. These powerful creatures in strong, balanced, disarming positions are a metaphor for the human experience, demonstrating the balance between having fun and giving life purpose.
Donna Howell-Sickles is a mixed media artist and draughtswoman born in Gainesville, Texas, where she was raised on a 900-acre farm. Howell-Sickles made a national name for herself in mixed media works representative of what she knew to be true of western ranching women: their strength, joy, capability, and community, a stark contrast to the waving women watching men ride on. Donna applies her ability to depict a character and its heart to the animal world, personifying mountain lions, buffalo, pronghorns, foxes, owls, and other characters that a western woman would come to know and love.
Diana Woods is a painter and sculptor living in Western Colorado, inspired by her surroundings on the border of the Colorado National Monument. Her work reflects her deep belief in the interconnectedness of all things and the divine spirit in nature. Inspired by her grandfather’s “tall tales” of the West and her own experience and draw to folklore, Woods’ work is rich in narrative and allegorical imagery that illustrate the parallels between human experience and the natural world.
Katie DeGroot was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan and lives on her great-grandparents' farm in Fort Edward, NY after spending nearly 20 years in New York City. Through the “portraits” of branches festooned by lichens, moss and mushroom, Katie DeGroot explores surrealism and abstraction, nature and form, growth and decay. Using the branches as an observational starting point, the painter responds within the language of contemporary painting. Her work is informed by Gladys Niilson, Alice Neel, Giorgio Morandi, Henri Matisse, Charles Burchfield, Barbara Takenaga, and others.
Imaginative Narratives is on view July 28 through August 9, 2023 ‘under the clocktower’ in historic downtown Basalt and virtually at korologosgallery.com. For questions, hours, or private viewing times, please call (970) 927-9668 or email art@korologosgallery.com.
