Mixed media often finds
solidity in GLUE.
Article by Kristen Schweizer
 |
| "Imaginings" Rose Gallery, Exhibition by Cathy Breslaw Francis Parker School, San Diego |
When we hear the term “mixed media,” many
merely imagine complicated collages or other fastidiously fastened objects to
canvas. At least, this was my inclination. Artist Cathy Breslaw shatters expectations with
installations, wall work and drawings that seemingly defy both gravity and
light. Her current exhibition, Imaginings, opened yesterday at the James
Allen Rose Art Gallery at Francis Parker School in San Diego.
The instantly striking piece is Dream Scape, an
installation made from industrial mesh suspended from the high ceilings of the
gallery above portions of fabrics and paintings on the floor. Breslaw explained
she was “inspired by the natural light, space and open high ceilings of the
Rose Gallery.” I, however, was struck by the impactful nature of a fabric often
written off as useless. Tulle, industrial mesh: these opaque fabrics are rarely
the strength of a dress or window. However, they finally find center stage as
somehow both substantial and subtle within Dream Scape.
That same sentiment is throughout her wall
pieces as well. Translucent mesh, dyed and layered, seem like
Rothko-reminiscent watercolor murals from afar. It is only up close that the
viewer realizes her intentional delicacy. The painted mesh, somehow both
inspiring a ballerina’s skirt and the protective shield of a screen door, are
layered deliberately. The pieces wait unwearyingly; but it is merely a holding
pattern. Upon the first breath of the viewer or gesture from the room: the pieces
all dance. Alive and reactive to the slightest breeze, they move like the sky
and watercolor in motion. It’s impossible to see the piece the same way twice
as a result. It requires the viewer to change their opinion, to see new colors
within the layers.
Breslaw’s mastery is evident in the
construction. More often than not I found myself searching the seams and edges
for proof that these pieces were deliberate. The work is so full of life it’s
easy to believe that it made itself until you take a closer look…then that the
purposeful expression and shape-making becomes apparent.
The genius is echoed in comparison. As the
gallery is housed within a school, student mixed media art with colored mesh is
also featured. While the students’ color, enthusiasm and ideas show bravely,
they prove that a true artist finds more than immediate color, patterns, and
texture for her inspiration. The student art is solidly pretty – but that is
all it is. Breslaw’s art is impactful in its tenuous patience; a breathless
reminder of what beauty actually is.
Imaginings runs from Thursday, April 2 through May 5, open from 7:30AM to
3:30PM at 6501 Linda Vista Road, San Diego, CA 92111.
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