Join us for a free Opening Reception on Friday, April 14, 2017 from 6PM – 8PM. The exhibition will run until May 7, 2017.
Dennis Hettler – Artist Statement
Nature grabs us with every step; it has a pure unadulterated abstraction. The inspiration that I grab from nature is that abstraction, the way it is not conformed to a certain space or set in a real status quo. Beauty can be found in the simplest of forms. A simple puddle and how it resends to vapor, its cracks and crevices create abstractions. I am equally inspired by the insect kingdom and the millions of adversity it shares with us. They can blend, transform and seem to break push every rule nature has. This body of work is a reflection of those inspirations, it pushes me in new directions and each will be different, just as the change of each day.
Justine Hettler – Artist Statement
I am inspired by adventure. Adventure can mean looking further, into cultures and surroundings that differ from our own. Adventure can also mean looking closer, studying more intently the tiniest details of the nature that surrounds us.
When outside “exploring” with my boys, I always end up with a handful of objects that caught my eye: a single piece of bark, nut shells, an oddly shaped flower bud, etc. Each piece of nature I bring home has a quiet, secret beauty that I can study for hours. I find interesting shapes, gorgeous color gradients, intricate lines, and hidden textures. With watercolor, printmaking, and various other media, I work with those aspects I find most interesting. My hope for the viewer is for your experience to mirror my own intimate study of nature, and inspire your own adventures.
Justin Johnson – Introduction
This exhibition will include three portfolios of works that have been created over the past decade. From 2006-2012, as part of my master’s degree in studio art, I created body of works focused on mixed media drawings titled, “Saints and Scarabs.” During this time, I also create a suite of editioned prints titled, “Digital Altars.” Since 2014, I have been creating abstract drawings using ink and mixed media as well as collage. These abstract works reference current events happening politically throughout the world as well as earlier references such as the atrocities of World War II. This body of work in entitled, “Conflict.”
