Carmela Kolman: Roses

exhibition dates: October 30 - November 24, 2012

reception: Thursday, November 15, 6 - 8 pm

"After painting fruit, I am now drawn to flowers, specifically roses. Roses interest me because they are multi-layered, have many intersecting planes, are delicate and colorful, opaque and translucent. I carve out the shapes, and try to catch the flickering light on the petals. Each rose has intricate depth and many abstract shapes. I enjoy integrating the compositions with the depth of the petals, their abstract shapes, and the flatness of the picture plane.” "I cannot really explain my work without mentioning my vision. I was born, and remain, blind in one eye. I was visually impaired in the other, until it was surgically corrected at age 23. As a result, I have never known true three-dimensional vision. In these cases, the brain acquires depth perception differently than it does with normally-sighted people. Depth of space is intellectually conceptualized rather than observed naturally. The individual literally sees in two-dimensions but interprets it as three.” "Despite my visual impairment, painting and drawing have always intrigued me. As a child, I painted constantly, with my face pressed close to the canvas in order to see. I only painted objects that were close to me because my visual world was smaller. Distant views were not something that I knew, and would certainly never paint.” "This is why I became a still life painter. I paint objects close to me that I can touch and feel. I apply paint with my fingers, so that I can touch the canvas, as well.” Roses are an ancient cross-cultural symbol of love and beauty. Kolman developed a fondness for roses because her husband planted many rose bushes at their Port Jefferson home, where her studio is located. Each summer, she enjoys watching them bloom with color. "Roses" is Kolman's third exhibition at The Painting Center, and her fifth solo NYC exhibition. Her work is exhibited throughout the US, both as a solo artist, and with Zeuxis, An Association of Still Life Painters. Kolman received her BFA from Rhode Island School of Design and her MFA from Yale University School of Art. For further information, please contact The Painting Center or email the artist at carmelakolman@gmail.com To view additional images and the artist’s biography, visit www.carmelakolman.com

View Brochure: Carmela Kolman Roses.pdf