Helen Shulman & Karen Petersen
 
Opening Reception: May 25th, 2013 from 6 - 8:30pm
 
Join us for an exhibition of new works by Helen Shulman & Karen Petersen.
 
Show Dates: May 25th through June 22, 2013
 
STOWE, Vt.- Helen Shulman‘s playful and exploratory abstract works on panel are paired with Karen Petersen’s emotive cast bronze sculptures in two solo exhibitions opening at West Branch Gallery in Stowe on May 25th; HELEN SHULMAN, LOVE SONGS, and KAREN PETERSEN, SPIRIT INTO FORM.
 
Helen Shulman‘s approach to painting is two fold, she describes building a painting as being similar to an architectural structure- starting from the inside and working out. Developing a relationship with a painting though, starts from the outside and works in. The magic happens at the intersection. Shulman’s works are arresting, searching paintings that readily acknowledge the history they are built upon; the Hudson River Painters, seascapes by Martin Johnson Heade, and abstracted works by Richard Diebenkorn. Shulman‘s paintings convey the mindset of someone on a journey, which is only furthered by her narrative titles. “Take a Left at the First Light, You Can’t Miss It”, or “Your Journey will be Satisfying in Unexpected Ways” speak directly to the feeling of setting out with no known destination; exhilarating and so full of anticipation, Love Songs is a collection of works that could be the stories and memories collected on a trip, and brought home to show friends. They are the perfect metaphor for Shulman‘s creative process; the journey of creation she takes with each painting.
 
Karen Petersen describes herself as a sculptor of organic forms. The motive is always to create a solid shape of emotional consequence in space. Petersen’s cast bronze figures, animals and flowers all begin in the same way; shaped by her hands in clay, imbued with her quiet, contemplative love as she creates each form. Petersen builds up each piece with considered care; her hands are the cocoon, out of which each sculpture grows to find it‘s form, it’s breath, it‘s spirit. Spirit into Form brings together Petersen’s vast body of work, including life size cast bronze horses, “Stallion” and “Lady”. “Kenya” an African antelope stretches tall in the gallery, and shares the space with smaller sculptures of flowers, buds and seeds to propagate her own spring at West Branch gallery.
 
The work of these two talented artists will be celebrated with a gala reception at 6 p.m. on May 25th. Contributing Art New England writer, Meg Brazill will be giving a gallery talk on the featured artists, music will be provided by the Ira Friedman Trio, and hors d‘oeuvres by Susanna’s Catering.
 
“Love Songs” and “Spirit Into Form” will be on view at West Branch Gallery and Sculpture Park May 25th ‚Äì June 22, featuring both artists in the large curved space gallery as well as work in a range of mediums by over 40 artists in the adjacent galleries at West Branch.