ZOYA SCHOLIS
ZOYA SCHOLIS DIVINE FEMININE
March 2nd – April 16th, 2024
Bryant Street Gallery is thrilled to announce Divine Feminine, a candidly nuanced collection of figurative works by Zoya Scholis. This exhibition captures the subtle honesty of communication through body language and showcases painting as an exploration of the liminal parts of the mind. The show will be on view from March 2nd, 2024 to April 16th, 2024. The gallery and the artist welcome the public to an opening reception on Saturday, March 9th, from 3-5 p.m.
Scholis' works honor the tradition of painting where the female figure symbolizes inner life. This series features images of women in reclining poses, often asleep or deep in thought. They bring to mind the sanctity of rest and its dual purpose of rejuvenation and reconnecting with the subconscious mind. Scholis refers to this quiet, meditative strength as “soft power,” a mindful alternative to brute force. She communicates soft power through her brushstrokes: delicate, ephemeral, and lacking sharp edges.
Divine Feminine balances the fantastic and the mundane, drawing inspiration from both fairy tales and everyday spaces. Her attention to detail on the textile patterns, from vibrant striped blankets to playful floral dresses, make the spaces feel authentic and loved. Meanwhile, the layers of abstraction glimpsed throughout give the impression of wear with use and instill a contemplative, dreamlike dynamic. In fact, some of the works appear to take place half within, half outside of the subject’s daydream. In Scholis’ words, “art making is an exploration of the psyche and an experiment with the Divine.”
Scholis is based in the Bay Area and Monterey. Teaching and mentoring are a big part of her life, as her art classes weave in lessons about mental wellness and personal growth. Emulating her paintings, she teaches art as not just the physical application of paint to canvas, but as a deeper exploration of the inner self.
Divine Feminine will be on view at 532 Bryant Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301 from March 2nd to April 16th, 2024. For more images and information please visit the website at www.bryantstreet.com or email us at bryantst@mac.com
Bio:
Zoya Scholis is a Monterey and Bay Area denizen, with a BA in Studio Arts (1993). A former bilingual school teacher, in 2007 she became a full-time artist and instructor, creating and leading Art for Personal Growth workshops. Her post-grad education includes Advanced Painting with Donald Feasel at San Jose State University and Katie Hawkinson at Stanford University. Among her many influences are Richard Diebenkorn, Joan Savo, and the drawings of Picasso. Primarily a process painter, most of Zoya's work feature abstract forms from nature–figures, birds, leaves, petals, fruit. Much of her figurative work has a dreamy Fairytale feel. For Scholis, art making is an exploration of psyche and an experiment with the Divine.
Artist Statement:
Art making is an exploration of the psyche and an experiment with the Divine. So much is communicated through body language. It’s far more subtle, honest and nuanced than words. It communicates more than story; it’s poetry and truth. In painting, the female figure is symbolic of inner life. I work in that tradition. When painting I’m often in a liminal state and I think that comes through. In some ways these works are classic and traditional--not a lot of edge unless it’s soft. My idea of feminism is about recognizing, appreciating and celebrating “soft power”. I still reference fairy tales when trying to understand the world.
Carolyne
Oil on canvas 14” x 14”
New Roommate
Oil on canvas 48” x 36”
Nude with Calla Lily Leaves
Oil on canvas
48” x 36”
Lovers
Oil on canvas 60” x 40”
Melancholy
Oil on canvas 48” x 36”
Orange Season
Oil on canvas
40” x 40”
Redwood Table
Oil on canvas 20” x 20”
Sunflower
Oil on canvas
48” x 36”
Nasturtium Oil on canvas 20” x 16”
Wild Cutting Oil on canvas 24” x 20”
Listener
Oil on canvas 24” x 20”
Still Life with Fluted Pitcher Oil on canvas 24” x 20”
Rebecca Oil on canvas 40” x 40”
Bengal Oil on canvas
35” x 36”
Marcy Oil on canvas
36” x 36”
Retreat Oil on canvas 40” x 40”
Red Sofa Oil on canvas 36” x 48”
