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- 10 - 19
In a Tumultuous Time, Abstract Artist Turns Focus to the Heart of Humanity
Rose Umerlik’s new body of work is a welcome relief during these difficult times by taking the voyeur directly into a celebration of the positive attributes of humanity. This artist’s solo exhibition, “Anatomy,” will be on display from April 6th-28th at Soprafina Gallery in Boston, MA.
Umerlik re-interprets the physical human form through abstract painting to comment on the universality of what it is to be human: we are all complicated, thinking, feeling and profoundly socially connected in a beautiful way that celebrates human consciousness. These paintings re-interpret the anatomy of the human form to celebrate family, relationships and society by focusing on the beauty of needing and caring for one another. The positive message of this solo exhibition offers a respite during these stressful times.
Ms. Umerlik's work has been included in numerous solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally. Ms. Umerlik received her B.F.A. from Syracuse University's College of Visual and Performing Arts. She has been the recipient of many awards including an Artist Residency and Fellowship at the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation for the Arts, Inc. and the Clowes Award from the Vermont Studio Center. Ms Umerlik was recently selected as a 2018 Vermont Artist to Watch!
This exhibition will be at Soprafina Gallery, 55 Thayer Street, from April 6th to April 28th. The artist's reception will be on Friday, April 6th at 5:30 PM.
Please call for more information at 617.728.0770.
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Rose Umerlik received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing arts, with strong influences from Stephen Zaima who impressed upon her the importance of one’s ability to self-evaluate, and the “work method.” The backbone of her studio practice is based on a strong work ethic and dedication to being present and honest with her work.
Umerlik has had thirteen solo exhibitions in New England and has been included in numerous group exhibitions across the country and internationally. Her work has been reviewed in Art New England and Artscope. She has also published two books, Intimacy of Forms and Histories.
Among other awards, she has received a grant from the NH State Council on the Arts to participate in the Takt Kunstprojektraum Residency in Berlin, Germany, a fellowship to participate in the Sam and Adele Golden Foundation Residency and a Clowes Award to participate in a residency at the Vermont Studio Center. She has also been a finalist for the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation’s prestigious Piscataqua Region Artist Advancement Grant. Umerlik lives in Jeffersonville, VT, where she maintains a full-time studio practice.
To see recent work: roseumerlik.com or rose_umerlik on Instagram
Statement of Process- Rose Umerlik
Before I reach the moment where I approach a panel with oil paint or pencil, I’ve already spent weeks building the panels and layering them with multiple different grounds to create the toughest surface possible. The rigidity of the panels is necessary to hold up to the aggressive pencil drawings, and the repeated laying down and wiping away of paint that mark the beginning of each piece. By layering graphite lines and staining the surface with color, I work through numerous ideas before settling into a “story.” The faded drawings and pigments are the building blocks of each piece. The “story” that emerges in a painting will usually come from a distinct moment when I recognize a human experience in the way two forms are relating to each other, or the interaction of lines within a color field. That “moment of recognition” comes during each painting and it is my way of exploring what it is to be human, what it is to be a part of a culture, and what it is to love, fear or hope. I will flesh out these “moments” with thicker layers of paint. I use opacity to direct the viewer to what I find to be powerful and evocative. Opaque lines and forms intermingling with color stains and drawings are the key tools in my physical painting process, but I would have no need for them without my infinite fascination with humanity, relationships and emotion.
Soprafina Gallery
55 Thayer Street, Boston
SoWa Arts District
