Shawn Smith, Jewel Beetle, mixed media

Shawn Smith, Jewel Beetle, mixed media

A definite thumbs up for the curator of the show; the combination of Shawn Smith, Rex Ray and Josh Garber speaks of an unintentional similarity where all three of them clearly share a passionate about the power of nature and uses it as their blueprint in creating intricate and mesmerizing artworks. Opening on the 30th of June until the 27th of July 2014 at Turner Carroll Gallery in Santa Fe; it’s such a pity I don’t get to see the real works myself.

San Francisco based fine artist Rex Ray, Dallas born sculptor Shawn Smith and New York graduated Josh Garber not only all display a full portfolio of solo exhibition experiences, series of commissioned works as well as collections of impressive innovations done in the past years; they are all fearless in the usage of their chosen mediums, incorporating bursting palettes for some and repetitive patterns as well as edge cutting forms of execution for others.

In the show “Bio-Morphed”, Rex Ray display works that are influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement, which undertakes textile designs as well as pattern works through the abstract form of expression, where floral reminding images in vibrant colors are boldly shown on various sized paintings, mixed media and mixed media on linen. Having worked with brands like Apple, Dreamworks, Sony Music, and Warner Brothers just to name a few and celebrity such as The Rolling Stones, David Bowie and Bjork as their graphics, poster and packaging designer; no wonder his works scream a sort of graphical outlook that easily attracts the audience.

Shawn Smith, interested in the idea of how nature and technology influences each other, has been creating numerous 3D prints and wooden animal sculptures that pull the audience closer to nature, but at the same time detach the bonding relationship with his form of pixelated execution. Challenging the naturalistic form with bleached away colors for his 3D prints; the silent heads of featured animals scream an epiphany of how technology can only imitate nature’s appearance without its true essence.

Last but not least, one of our personal favorites are the twisted dynamic shapes of aluminum, steel and bronze created by 2011 Pollock-Krasner grant receiver Josh Garber. Industrial, intricate, but appearing to be ripped from the material’s common function; the patterns created in fact reminds one of neuroscience, bonding such cold collections with notions of the human body. The new form given to these strong material encompasses them with a new sense of fragility, a lava like flow, as if a magnetic force holds them randomly together. The contrast of regularity and irregularity is strong, making it a vivid but interesting comment on the forms of nature.

Biomorphed
6/30/14 – 7/27/14
Turner Carroll Gallery: 725 Canyon Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA