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GE Women's Network celebrates 15th Anniversary with ART
Beyond Appearances: Intricate Portraits – Past, Present, Future

Concerned with the overlapping histories between generations, Barbara Mathis focuses on the reflections of the past in the present. Influenced by Renaissance portraiture, Mathis compares female subjects from famous painters such as Parmigianino and Botticelli to contemporary women today. The grace and poise of the classical ideals watching over the present-day activities of modern women reveal a link through the ages that binds us all together. "Barbara and a Botticelli" lift the veil between centuries and juxtapose the thoughts and contemplations of the two women, both beautifully rendered in oil on canvas. Additionally, Mathis creates an even more intimate bond between generations of one family – her Standing History series places the current generation on a stoop where past family members have sat in photographs throughout the years. By conjoining the genealogical narratives of family history in "Corona Stoop I & II," she creates a more complete, and personal, chronicle of family history.

Terry Strickland, on the other hand, is more focused on the inner workings of her subjects' hearts and minds. The personalities and individual stories that simmer within a woman's subconscious are on display in most of her work. While Mathis's fixation on the Early Renaissance is literal, Strickland goes a step further, portraying her subject as a famous 17th Century painter in "Mary Lee as Artemisia Gentileschi." Not only is she juxtaposing histories, but delving and pulling each in to the other to form a new context in which Gentileschi and Mary Lee represent an artistic paradigm. In other works, the psychic symbolism of flight is also on display, as Strickland defines the intuitive desire to soar in both "Dreams of Flying," and "Flight Plan." By transforming and taking to the sky, Strickland's subject is able to find new heights and visualize new perspectives beyond her position on the ground.

The many personalities and affiliations that define a person's sphere are also a vital aspect of portraiture, and Norma Greenwood probes the framing by which women and their peers define their relationships. Mother, daughter, adventurer, and spiritual advisor – these titles reveal and segment the multilayered and complex associations we have with the people close to us. "Starwalker" is a far more intricate portrayal of a friend than at first glance. The portrait, very close to the subject's face, is captured at a rather vulnerable angle, but one that spans upwards to suggest that she is gazing outside the frame, to horizons that exist beyond the canvas. She is searching amongst the stars for new answers and experiences. "The Sister," however, is a far more grounded depiction, and instead focuses in on the subject's eyes, the windows that reveal a comfort and intimacy that exists among two people that have shared many moments together. The casual pose, easy laughter, and relaxed warmth that emanates through the portrait offer the viewer an opportunity to reflect on similar relationships they have in their lives.

Beautiful, intricate portraits are shared by Simone Spruce-Torres and Sandhi Schimmel Gold. In Simone's portrait "Mama", she uses graphite, charcoal, and ebony pencils to pay tribute to the poise and strength of her beloved mother; while Sandhi Schimmel Gold's piece "Tempest", captivates us with the powerful world-wind of her alluring red locks of hair, matched by the intensity in her eyes that draw us in to notice every detail of the upcycled junk mail used to create this fascinating Papier Collé Mosaic portrait.

With a number of characters on display, Beyond Appearances: Intricate Portraits - Past, Present, Future exposes viewers to the multilayered and fascinating personalities that shine through the artwork. Though the portraits may be a more quiet reflection on the inner depths present in all of us, the selected artists have done a masterful job unmasking the hopes, dreams, and individual qualities of their subjects, inviting us to become acquainted with them and ourselves a little better.

Women gallery
Hispanic gallery
African American gallery
Pride gallery
Asian gallery
Veterans gallery