The Copley Society of Art is in full bloom this summer, with florals and botanicals found across our three new shows currently on view. From the National Show: Exuberance Released, Ellen McGill: Contemporary Botanicals, to Small Works: Reflections, many of the works featured in these exhibitions share a common botanical theme.
In this month’s blog, Co|So shares 5 pieces as a preview for our newly installed shows!
Pictured: Robert Steinem, Glad All Over, oil on panel, 26″ x 18″
For this year’s National Exhibition, “Exuberance Released,” artists residing in the US were invited to submit original works celebrating the exuberance of daily life in all its forms. These works range from realism to conceptual to abstract. The theme explores the coming together of positive moments in nature and the human spirit.
Robert Steinem’s, Glad All Over, features a vibrant gladiola flower blossoming in the sun. The variety of shades within the warm palette of the flower reveals the effect of light on each of the petals and blades of grass. It was awarded First Prize by our Art Committee along with an outside juror, Paula Bradstreet Richter, Curator at the Peabody Essex Museum.
Pictured: Kara Bigda, CA, Canning Rhododendrons, watercolor on clay panel, 30″ x 30″
Copley Artist Kara Bigda’s Canning Rhododendrons, presents the viewer with a detailed and delicate still life. The bright palette of the rhododendron petals and their leaves contrasts the dark black background, bringing the subject of this work of art to life.
Pictured: Ellen McGill, CA, Sky Magnolia, pastel, 32″ x 31″
Ellen’s solo show, “Contemporary Botanicals,” explores the intricacies of growing plant life from a unique and up-close perspective. Painted in pastel, the paintings are shown at a scale larger than life, drawing the viewer in towards the varied and layered detail present in every inch of their being.
In Sky Magnolia, Copley Artist Ellen McGill centers the magnolia blossom in the composition of this piece. The texture of the pastel creates a soft and gentle appearance to the petals and leaves, as the blossom soars into the bright blue sky.
Pictured: Ann Gillespie, Mid Summer Dreams, pastel, 11” x 15″
In this summer’s small works show, “Small Works: Reflections,” artists were invited to submit work inspired by their interpretation of reflections. The works featured in our Lower Gallery range across artistic medium, subject matter, and composition.
Artist Member Ann Gillespie’s work, Mid Summer Dreams, is a pastel abstract landscape featuring a colorful wildflower path. With its bright color palette and playful strokes, this piece is a reflection of the warm and bright sunny days ahead.
Pictured: Lissa Banks, Stargazer, acrylic on canvas, 13.75″ x 13.75″
Another botanical work featured in “Small Works: Reflections,” is Lissa Banks’ Stargazer. This work features a beautiful lily stepping into the light. Banks’ use of color and contrast brings this piece to life, as the light dances and reflects across the curling and delicate lily petals.
Please stop by the gallery during the following dates to catch these shows:
National Show: Exuberance Released on view through August 17th
Ellen McGill: Contemporary Botanicals on view through August 17th
Small Works: Reflections on view through September 28th
We hope to see you at the Copley Society of Art soon!