Etsuko Shida

Drawing inspiration from her native Japanese culture and the enduring forms and symbols of the ancient world, Etsuko Shida paints abstract vistas that reverberate with the infinite nature of time and space. Using acrylic paints, diatomite, and powder pigments applied with brushes, spatulas, and sponges, Shida aims to capture the spontaneity of the moment, leading to expressions that are always changing, forever in flux. What results are images that convey a distinct feeling of spaciousness, of vast potential. This is combined with her use of line, which at times introduces an underlying tension into the mix.

Shida’s artistic approach is deceptively simple, as she draws heavily from a muted palette and relies primarily on repetitions of geometric forms. But colors and forms are distinctly layered to create a depth and complexity that render the images anything but minimal. However modest her images may seem at first glance, they open for the viewer new landscapes of emotive expression, allowing the imagination to soar.