APRIL 12TH THROUGH JUNE 5TH, 2015 F 73 SEE GALLERY
C onvergence Lorraine DeProspo: Continuum Monica Litvany: New Works
C onvergence Lorraine DeProspo: Continuum Monica Litvany: New Works
CURATOR STATEMENT
I
had met and come to know the clay artistry of Monica Litvany in early
2014 in preparation for the group-show Stories We Tell: A Visual Narrative. Her work was a stellar part of that exhibit. Last summer I reached out to her to assist me in creating a mosaic on the risers of the gallery’s steps. She responded whole-heartedly gathering a group of clay artists from her studio “Mud & Soul” to help with this project. Lorraine DeProspo also answered that call and the seeds of this exhibit Convergence were sown.
There is a subtle quality to both of these artists’ works that compliments each other, although each of them retains their own strong personal voice. It is this quality, an ethereal earthiness, that encouraged the plan for and curating of this exhibit. Litvany attended the California School of the Arts concentrating on metal arts and bronze casting before choosing clay as her medium twenty years ago. She has been a student of renowned artists including Paulus Berenson, Frank Giorgini and Peter King. Over the past twenty years she has honed her skill and prowess choosing to focus primarily on hand built objects, developing her own personal clay pigments and bodies, and executing work of increasing refinement. From vessels, to hanging forms, to almost mythical figurative sculpture, her work
stems from an exploration of her personal relationship to nature, the feminine and the knowledge and lore of indigenous humankind. Confident and assured in her skill Monica delights in the alchemy of each firing. She often refers to the “magic” of all the elements combining to achieve a “gift from the universe” when harvesting new work from the kiln or pit. While this may be true the consistency of her results are only made possible due to her cultivated mastery and innate talent. These new works are sure testament to this. Litvany’s work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums. She maintains a studio in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey where she offers Raku and sawdust firing workshops. Monica manages a fully equipped, state-of-the-art clay studio in Fairfield N.J. (Mud&Soul), serving artists of all ages and experience. Lorraine DeProspo is a painter, ceramic artist, and assembler of things. Her work is strongly influenced by nature, which translates visually in minimalist, abstract fashion. Her approach to painting is purely intuitive and her tools are oils, wax, and pallet knife. Her paintings are rich in subtle color blending, waxed to create depth of form and color, and infused with a moody overtone that invites the viewer into the work.
Likewise, her ceramic imagery is rooted in a keen interest in natural forms. With clay as her medium, oftentimes in concert with wood and found objects, a glance, an inextricable feeling, or perhaps a long forgotten childhood memory precipitates the creation of ceramic “orbs”, sculptural vertebrae, and urchin or pod-like forms, designed not to replicate, but to capture the essence of a simple moment in time when the forces of nature are perfectly attuned to the imagination within. Lorraine lives and works in Montclair NJ and Provincetown MA, and has exhibited over the years in both locations. It is a privilege to bring you the “convergence” of these two artists’ continually evolving, engrossing work in this comprehensive exhibit. Mary Z, curator, with Lorraine DeProspo, 2015
Please contact the Gallery: gallery@73seegallery.com with your inquiries. Curated by Mary Z.
www.73seegallery.com
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Lorraine DeProspo: Continuum
ARTIST STATEMENT paintings Coming from a sculptural background, my painting process is somewhat non-traditional and completely intuitive. I enjoy working large, which enables a broad, sweeping stroke of the tools employed in the meticulous blending of color to produce the subtle nuances and ‘moody’ feel that I believe defines my work. My short list of materials includes oil paint and canvas, a wax medium which adds a soft patina and an element of depth to the finished piece, and a cherished few pallet knives and scratching tools. I am strongly influenced by sea and sky, and particularly captivated by fog, the mainstay of my imagery, which translates visually for me in minimalist, abstract fashion, absent the need to replicate reality in neither color, shape, or form... – Lorraine DeProspo, 2015
Tide Out oil and wax on canvas 66” x 40” 3250.
Cape Fog oil and wax on canvas 48” x 48” INQUIRE - Available as an Limited Edition Print
Green Mist oil and wax on canvas 20” x 16” 450.
The Calm Before oil and wax on canvas 48” x 48” 3000.
Breaking Fog oil and wax on canvas 24” x 20” 875.
Quiet Storm oil and wax on canvas 48” x 48” 3000.
Blame It On The Moonlight oil and wax on canvas 48” x 48” NFS - Availble as a Limited Edition Print
Storm Watch oil and wax on canvas 24” x 20” 800.
Passing Clouds oil and wax on canvas 30” x 40” 600.
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Just a Peak oil and wax on canvas 30” x 15” 500.
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Works on Paper Series – Solitude gesso and oil on paper 35” x 28” 1150.
ARTIST STATEMENT sculpture I assemblage My three dimensional imagery is predominantly organic in nature and rooted in a keen interest in and respect for natural forms. The sea holds particular interest for me, and using the wonderfully organic medium of clay, oftentimes in concert with wood and found objects offered by nature, a glance, an inexplicable feeling, a long forgotten memory, precipitates ceramic “orbs”, sculptural vertebrae, and urchin and pod-like forms. My interest is not to imitate but to capture the essence of a simple moment in time when the forces of nature gently collide with imagination and the spirit within. Assemblage sculpture is a new venture for me, and a medium I’ve been anxious to explore for some time. My process in this new series titled Cocoons: Coming of Age, is a marriage of seemingly disparate elements into an integrated form. The process begins with a hand made ceramic “pod” that grew out of an interest in cocoons, which held for me the concept of a protected “child”, nourished and nurtured in a womb of sorts, until ready to come into its own. Additional natural materials and found objects from beach combing are serendipiditiously paired to create a nest or resting place for the cocoon to morph and grow....my process itself has also morphed and grown during the making of this series, with twists and turns in the construction of the pieces allowing for happy accidents along the way. My approach has been to allow a bump in the road to translate into a breakthrough in process. – Lorraine DeProspo, 2015
Precious Cargo ceramic, wood, fishnet, found object 27” x 6” 825.
Cocoon Series – Coming of Age I ceramic, wood, iron 16” x 4” 775.
Cocoon Series – Coming of Age II ceramic, wood, iron 25” x 3” 775.
Cocoon Series – Coming of Age III ceramic, wood, wire 15” x 9” 775.
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Pod Series – II – Quiet Whispers assemblage – ceramic, wood 11” x 5” x 3” 750.
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Orb Series III pit fired ceramic 7” x 7” x 7” 300.
Orb Series – The Simplicity of Balance II pit fired ceramic, bamboo 13” x 7” x 7” 350.
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Orb Series – Little Orb pit fired ceramic 6” x 6” x 6” 225.
Monica Litvany: New Work
ARTIST STATEMENT
As an artist, I am intrigued by the encoded language found within the complex patterns of growth and flow in the natural world, a cosmic alphabet. I look to explore the mysterious connections, microscopic to monumental, between structures, growth patterns and forms, trying to decipher this fingerprint of life. Ancient symbolic languages continue to hold fascination for me and appear spontaneously in my art. My work has recently taken on a more personal and intimate expression, using the narrative as a vehicle. – Monica Litvany, 2015
Tree Diva (2 Views) paper clay and interactive pigments 4’ x 2’ x 6” 1800.
Voice of the Woods paper clay, stoneware, glass 4’ x 1’ wall hung 1200.
Arbor, Trunk, Roots paper clay and interactive pigments 14” x 14” panels, triptych 1500.
Animus sawdust fired stoneware 22� x 13� 500.
Pierced sawdust fired stoneware 19� x 11� 600.
Basket I sawdust fired stoneware 7� x 8� 450.
Torus sawdust fired stoneware 12� x 7� 750.
Sewn sawdust fired stoneware 7” x 5” 300.
Basket III glazed stoneware 6.5” x 5” 200.
Basket II (Corset) galzed stoneware 7” x 8” 350.
Sawdust sawdust fired stoneware 16” x 7” x 6” SOLD
Basket V mixed personal clay body 12” x 6” 150.
Sister Vessels sawdust fired stoneware Container for Bad Dreams 6.5” x 5”, Laced 9” x 5” 150.
Basket V mixed clay body 12” x 6” 400.
Brothers black stoneware 9” long, 13” long SOLD
Baby’s Breath sawdust fired stoneware 10” x 7” 300.
Basket VI (Pagoda) stoneware with pigment and glazes 7� x 8� 400.
Reverence stoneware floor piece 19” x 12” x 28” 1500.
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Disc I mixed clay body with glass 12.5� round 150.
ARTIST REPRODUCTIONS
The Calm Before
Quiet Storm
Blame it on the Moonlight
Cape Fog
Signed & Number Limited Edition (Run/50) Artist Reproductions on Museum Quality Archival Paper by Lorraine DeProspo. SIZES AVAILABLE: 8x8 image size $75 10x10 image size $85 14x14 image size $100 18x18 image size $120 Please allow 2 weeks for delivery.
Please contact the Gallery by phone at 973.746.8737 or email gallery@73seegallery.com with your inquiries. Curated by Mary Z. 73 See Gallery, 73 C Pine Street, Montclair, NJ 07042 Photography by Peter Jacobs at finearts@comcast.net unless indicted by * Š 73 See Gallery 2015
CATALOG #9