Exhibit of Work by Karen Kopf and Kimberly Varnadoe

About this event

Karen Kopf: “Among the Feathers and Leaves”

Karen Kopf’s exhibition started with a conversation about a Harpy Eagle which the artist's son observed in Patagonia, Argentina. From the Harpy in mythology the images in the artist's imagination became women and birds as equal partners, coexisting in the same space. On the canvas the idea morphed into women surrounded by birds.

After depicting the women and birds the artist returned to her exploration of plant forms. In all of these paintings the artist uses gold, silver and copper leaf with an abundance of textures to fracture the light and illuminate the rich forms. The interiors of the shapes have a life of their own and shimmer like jewels in nature.

There is also included a double portrait of two friends, who have known each other many years. They are treated in the same way as the other paintings with leafing and textures, but have the addition of humor in the title.

Kimberly Varnadoe: “Radiating Spirals”

Kimberly Varnadoe’s new paintings are a response to the chaotic and tumultuous experiences of today. She uses the radiating spiral as the underlying structure for these paintings to evoke a feeling of perpetual motion; a visual metaphor for the soul’s journey through transformations as we navigate our varied experiences. Varnadoe reveals a playful, yet profound way to engage with both the chaotic and orderly aspects of life.

Spirals surround us, appearing in galaxies, seashells, sunflowers, whirlpools, and hurricanes. They are used to represent cosmic energy, growth and evolution, dynamic weather systems, and portals between worlds. The concept of “spiraling” can suggest intense chaos and escalation yet can be necessary to restore balance and harmony.

Radiating spirals move -- expanding or contracting, suggesting motion, growth, and evolution in a fluid, yet dynamic form. They have rhythm. They radiate energy. They feel alive.