Dimensions: A new Exhibit at Gualala Arts

“Dimensions” is an exhibit conceived by the artists as a means of showcasing the interaction between imagery and meaning in their respective works. While “Dimensions,” obviously, speaks to the inclusion of both two-dimensional and three-dimensional work in the show, it also finds expression as it relates to the layers of meaning suggested in the individual artworks themselves.  These deeper dimensions of meaning can be cultural, temporal, emotional or personal as they evoke a story or theme beyond the surface imagery.

Loraine Toth’s vibrant and fantastical sculptures are inspired by the European traditions of the Commedia dell’arte, a style of theatre originating in northern Italy in the fifteenth century, which Toth became acquainted with while studying art in Vienna. The Commedia dell’arte featured actors wearing distinctive costumes and masks who performed with highly stylized postures and exaggerated gestures to convey emotion and intent. Such performances often incorporated jesters, harlequins and acrobats who actively engaged with the theatre audience. Toth’s figurative works, always intensely colorful, can range from bold and provocative to sensitive and alluring – with facial expressions, gestures, props and masks contributing to their overall visual impact and messaging. Her work is large and physical, creating a powerful impact, yet still manages to speak to you intimately. She often chooses to display multiple sculptures together as part of a unified group–evocative of a theatre performance where one artwork can play off against another in telling a story. Loraine Toth’s ceramic sculptures are glazed and fired, sometimes multiple times, in a large kiln at her studio. Her larger figures are often assembled from several smaller components fired individually.

Jane Casner Mothersill’s vivid and complex still life paintings reflect her innate love of beauty as revealed in nature or physical objects while drawing upon her rich international experiences in Asia, where she lived for 20 years. With a long held and deep interest in foreign cultures, Jane has amassed a significant collection of textiles, ceramics/lacquerware, religious/ornamental items and various objet d’art in her travels which find expression in her paintings. Some works serve as artistic observations on the beauty, emotions and colors found in living nature (such as in florals) as contrasted with those emanating from a colorful textile (for example). But florals (and other natural items) have specific meanings in cultures, and textiles are often highly seasonal in their design and use, suggesting deeper linkages between the two subjects.  In other works, particularly ones that incorporate multiple physical objects, the cultural items take on a much more expressly symbolic role–with the stories these works tell derived increasingly from compositional elements rather than from color. Casner Mothersill’s paintings include oil on linen canvas works and pastels on paper.

“Dimensions” is very much a show about color, imagery and context–which can be enjoyed on many levels. Incorporating both Western traditions and Oriental influences, the works in the show are visually engaging-yet complex. And there is also some whimsy in the body of work on display to add to the fun! There will be over 50 artworks on display.  This will be a journey that art lovers will enjoy exploring with Loraine Toth and Jane Casner Mothersill!

The exhibit continues through August 7, 2022.