July 2021 - Evelyn LaStella
Evelyn LaStella, “Wish You Were Here”, Oil on acrylic ground on canvas, 24x24 in.
Evelyn La Stella, "Teeny Tiny", Oil on Panel, 6x6 in.
Dear Friends and Art Lovers,
Art Gallery 71 invites you to "see the light" in the paintings of our July featured artist, Evelyn LaStella, and to join us for a wine reception on Saturday, July 17th from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.
Evelyn has several bodies of work, including abstracted landscapes, but she is primarily interested in capturing the impact of light on form, using still life compositions of universally familiar subjects as a vehicle for the exploration of shape, color, and value relationships.
“For me, it is all about the light and the emerging illusion of a three-dimensional object on a flat surface as I paint. It’s like magic and endlessly fascinating.”
Following a corporate career, Evelyn immersed herself in art making and became one of the founders of Art Gallery 71. She is grateful to have studied with her two favorite contemporary artists; Stanley Bielen and Scott Conary whose influence can be seen through the massing of values and simplification of shapes, embracing the concept that less is more. Evelyn is also inspired by the clean lines and subtle whimsy of mid-20th century modern design, and this can be seen in a series of her work that celebrates hard edges and color blocking and emphasizes the drama of dark versus light. At times, the lines between the two series are blurred and the resulting work may have elements of both.
“I have no desire to convey a specific message to the viewer. Rather, I want my paintings to be easy to live with over time and to prompt the viewer to just pause and look without thinking as I believe this quiet-mind state is where joy lives.”
Evelyn will be exhibiting July 9th through August 1st in the new larger and brighter location of the gallery (still at 71 E. Market Street). Stop in and sign our guest book during this period to be eligible to win the petite 6x6 in. original painting below. No purchase is required, just leave your email address and a winner will be randomly selected and notified by email on August 2nd.
