Pat Gastreich
Figuratively Speaking
January 17 - February 7, 2012
Reception:
Thursday January 19, 2012 6-8 PM
Press Release
Women of insight and strength populate the paintings of Pat Gastreich, commanding our instant attention. Her lively palette is dominated by a saturated red and cobalt, gently brushed and spattered onto the canvas. Sinewy lines dictate the female form, alternately lounging, standing, or staring back intently into our eyes. The struggle between control and release is a constant narrative in the works. There is a powerful presence felt but not seen, a personal emotive discourse that each figure seems to be working through. “Women struggle with control,” she explains. “Learning to surrender control stops the internal discourse to bring harmony peace and acceptance.” Likewise, the juxtaposition of unruly paint and elegant lines brings home this theme; the addition of charcoal to the acrylic paint provides the distinctive edges of each figure. She has a wonderful sense of color and form which come together to create a stunning body of work.
Pat Gastreich has exhibited her paintings frequently across the United States, and they are held in numerous private collections. She lives and works in Cincinnati.
Artist Statement
My art is about the act of creating. I am a process painter. To me, painting is a highly focused process. There are bursts of painting activity followed by moments of reflection and trial. The reflective period is full of questions affecting the final outcome. During a painting session this creative pattern repeats itself many times. In my paintings I try to capture the essence of the subject. My “Primordial Females,” for example, are bold and uncompromising, illustrating the struggle of women to control, the battle to learning to surrender, stop internal discourse and bring acceptance. The desire to portray the essence of the subject leads to abstraction and a great deal of artistic freedom. During each burst of energy there is an instinctual, dynamic application of paint. The process is a playful encounter between the material and myself.
Invitation to the exhibition
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