I always look forward to return visits at the Olney Gallery after services at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. The exhibits this weekend have been especially rewarding since, once again, I’ve learned about two artists I was completely unaware of. Many of these exhibits by this month’s featured artists depict wonderful visions of Arizona in nature. It’s always difficult to choose only a few painting samples for a blog post, but this one by Dinorah Metz captured my attention first:
This interpretation of an Arizona autumn 🍂 day has gorgeous interplay of orange, yellow, pink, and purple colors with a lone deer in silhouette enjoying the sight of the leaves as the breeze drifts them to and fro through the sky. Dinorah Metz has lived in Arizona for over 30 years and continuously finds inspiration in the vast, and ever changing landscapes of the state which she describes as: “There’s a palpable sense of life here, one that pushes through adversity and always finds a way to bloom.” (From: Facebook Profile For Olney Gallery At Trinity Cathedral) It’s not surprising that Metz and many other artists focus on creating paintings of Arizona in nature as there is so much to draw from, with an abundance of diverse flora, fauna, climate, landscapes, and dramatic weather events to choose from. If any place in the world requires adaptability to survive and thrive — Arizona is definitely that type of place!
Sarah Martiny describes much of her work this way: “My work aims to remind us of our place in the world, our interdependence with nature, and our singular ability to protect it.” (From Facebook Profile For Olney Gallery At Trinity Cathedral). The above creation caught my interest for the stark contrast of the lightness of the flowers against the dark background. I also learned something new today about this one and some of Martiny’s other works on display at Olney Gallery. This artwork is a cyanotype which refers to a blue colored print made by exposing coated paper to UV light. According to an AI overview, it’s one of the oldest known photographic printing techniques.
A cyanotype is made by coating a sheet of paper with a solution of iron salts, then placing an object on top of that, exposing the paper to UV light, and then washing the paper. Artists like Martiny use cyanotypes to make impressions of flowers (like she did above) and to create unique, one-of-kind prints. The possibilities seem unlimited and I might try this myself! I hope you’ve enjoyed this latest, brief jaunt into my “Arizona Artscapes series, and for more information about Sarah Martiny and Dinorah Metz check out the following:
Facebook Page: Olney Gallery At Trinity Cathedral http://m.facebook.com/olneygallery/
