There is something about patterns and nature that has seemingly been able to capture human’s imagination for as long as we have had written records. Ancient greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle thought that natural patterns were the base of what we perceive as Beauty, and symbolized the Good. From this, we can trace out architectural styles, city designs, fabric patterns, wallpaper, etc., all man-made things using patterns found in nature to capture a deep intrinsic understanding of beauty. In that vein, the three artists of Patterning Nature are connected. Working in various materials and processes, their work is all undeniably beautiful, and harness both nature and patterns in unique ways. Jessica Demcsak uses found and man-processed pieces of wood, onto which beautiful patterns are painted in acrylic. There’s something ironic about her treatment of the processed pieces of 2x4s; stripped of their natural forms as tree structures, Demcsak seems to lovingly return some of their honor to them through the patterns that she paints. Linda Dubin Garfield uses wallpaper, and other found material to make collaged compositions depicting landscapes. The spaces Garfield creates are vast, devoid of human presence and highlight a tension between our constructed ideas of beauty and the type of vistas that we long for. Gary Grissom’s oil paintings lovingly recreate quiet moments in nature: a fallen leaf just starting to dry, tree roots growing tumultuously seemingly in defiance of their earthly place, a tree limb fallen and taken over by its own decay and growth of life like fungi. Grissom captures these quiet moments where nature is reveling in its own patterns. Through their work, we question what we think of as patterns, as “nature,” and how the two are so intertwined with beauty.
Cover: Gary Grissom Leaves on the Ground, 2013 Oil on panel 11 × 14 × 2 in
Patterning Nature
Gary Grissom Large Yellow Leaf, on the Ground, 2018 Oil on wood 11 1/2 × 9 × 1 in
Jessica Demcsak Maria’s Ghost, 2018 Acrylic on logs 24 × 12 in Gary Grissom Morris Park Tree Roots, 2018 Oil on wood 24 × 18 × 1 in
Linda Dubin Garfield Moon Mountain, 2018 Mixed media 22 × 26 in Jessica Demcsak Cape May Spirits, 2020 Acrylic on log 24 × 12 in
Linda Dubin Garfield Moonglow Canyon, 2018 Mixed media 22 Ă— 26 in
Linda Dubin Garfield Alps in Winter, 2018 Mixed media 12 × 16 in
Linda Dubin Garfield Amidst the Trees 5, 2017 Mixed media 20 × 20 in
Gary Grissom Fallen Tree, Mushrooms, Leaves, 2018 Oil on wood 36 × 20 × 1 in Jessica Demcsak Tempest, 2015 Acrylic on wood 4 × 4 × 4 in
Gary Grissom Branch & Leaves on the Ground, 2019 Oil on wood 18 × 24 in
Ellen Abraham Blonde Ambition, 2018 Colored pencil, oil pastel & collage on black paper 24 Ă— 18 in
Jessica Demcsak 2020, 2020 Acrylic on wood 4 × 4 × 4 in
Linda Dubin Garfield Woodlands 2, 2018 Mixed media 16 × 16 in Jessica Demcsak Burning, 2016 Acrylic on wood 16 × 4 × 4 in
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All works are available for purchase on Artsy.