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May Issue 2005
Mary Martin Gallery of Fine Art in Charleston, SC, Features Works by Amy Guion Clay
The
Mary Martin Gallery of Fine Art in downtown Charleston, SC, will
present a solo exhibition of encaustic works by Amy Guion Clay
entitled, Between Order and Chaos. The exhibition will
open May 6 and continue through June 6, 2005.
"It is said that the greatest complexity and creativity exists
at the point of tension between order and chaos." This is
the point Colorado artist Amy Guion Clay states resides while
painting, moving freely from order to chaos and back again. "I
look for that moment when the tension is at its peak and critical
mass moves the painting from the known into the unknown. After
a while, equilibrium settles in, and there is a calming and quieting
that moves the painting back into order again. I walk that line
constantly with each painting, repeatedly playing on that edge
between. This is what creates the dynamic energy, the rhythm of
each piece. It is that build up and flow that intrigues me, that
moment of letting go into the state of no resistance. In some
of the paintings order seems to prevail and vaguely familiar images
appear, suggesting some personal or archetypal history. Other
times, chaos reveals itself in the purely abstract. And always,
the pulse of the natural world is ever present as the source and
inspiration for the creative process in all of my work."
Clay often uses fragments of sentences
from Buddhist and Taoist teachings as titles of her pieces, as
the artist is drawn to the Buddhist practice of the "koan",
which is a phrase or story that has no direct meaning, and therefore
moves the mind beyond linear thinking into pure experience. In
other words, Clay prefers the viewer to have their own experience,
rather than to explain her's.
The artist's love of textiles and fibers are evident in her new
works as she has incorporated waxed linen into some of the paintings
to add dimension, texture and a notion of "flow". The
linen projects out into space and creates complexity and movement.
The large piece, Heaven and Earth Correct Themselves, is
a good example of wanting to create a symmetrical sense of order,
with the central area with the linen "pouring forth"
in that state of critical mass. Other paintings are more in the
chaos stage when they are more abstract or free-form. The tree
image appears as a symbol of Clay's connection to the natural
world, and it is usually represented in a somewhat exalted way.
The pointed Gothic arches that recur in the paintings also have
a spiritual feeling to the artist. The writing is "stream
of consciousness" that pours out as she paints and is not
intended to be literal or readable. It merely suggests thought.
Other times Clay includes writing from other languages that collage
in the painting. She just like the marks that writing makes.
Encaustic is the most ancient painting medium and perhaps the most beautiful and versatile of all artists' paint. It is a beeswax-based paint, mixed with pigments and damar resin in the molten state. The resin acts as a hardening agent and contributes to the hardness and durability of the wax. It is also the most durable artists' medium, as it is impervious to moisture and will not deteriorate. Treated with care and respect, your encaustic painting will last at least 2000 years!
A testimony to the archival durability of encaustic is evident in the famous Fayum portraits painted in the 1st and 2nd centuries by Greek painters in Egypt. Many of these paintings have survived to this day, and their color has remained as fresh as any recently completed work. However, because of the difficulty of keeping the wax hot, this method fell out of favor until 20th century technology has made it a viable and efficient medium. The most well know encaustic artist of recent times is Jasper Johns.
Art has been Clay's focus since she was a child when her drawings were entered in art shows at age 5. She received a Bachelors of Fine Arts from Syracuse University and Northeast London Polytechnic in London, England. Upon graduation Clay pursued design as a profession combining her love for textiles, color and pattern. She worked as a designer for 15 years in New York and London.
Clay's painting took a dramatic
turn when she began studying at Naropa, a contemplative and alternative
university in Boulder, CO. "I began to explore spontaneous
and authentic expression, 'stepping out of the way' to allow the
creative force to speak through me," Clay states.
Clay was born and raised outside Boston, in Sharon, MA, and has
lived in New York, London, and Santa Fe and currently resides
in Boulder, CO.
For further information check our SC Commercial Gallery listings, call the gallery at 843/723-0303, or at (www.marymartinart.com).
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