Elemental | Special Exhibit

University of Missouri intern Julie Hilboldt curated the Uprise exhibit, Elemental, as the culminating project of her time at Sager Braudis Gallery. The show includes work by two artists, Rebecca Crowell and Mark Grundy, whose drastically different media complement each other indirectly. Grundy creates watercolor landscapes that contain colorful, even playful scenery, while Rebecca Crowell uses cold wax, powdered pigments, oil paint, and other materials and methods to compose abstract work that can be read as cropped images of ancient, geological surfaces. When verbally described, the two bodies of work seem to be a clashing pair. However, when near each other the works go hand in hand, creating a visual conversation perhaps due to an earth-related, natural appearance to the pieces.
 

Mark Grundy received his Bachelor of Art from the University of Missouri and after his graduation spent many months in Santiago, Chili. There he learned from teacher and artist, Frank Stack how to use watercolor to capture the Chilean scenery. From that time on, Grundy has drawn on his experiences of travel and the sights around him to create work that conveys his admiration for the earth, whether emphasizing the soft foliage, wide and expansive bluff views, or the reflection of a sunset mirrored on the surface of the Missouri River.
 

Rebecca Crowell received an MFA in painting from Arizona State University and like Grundy, she is also an avid traveler, teaching workshops in Sweden, Ireland, and Spain. Crowell uses layered media as she scratches and scrapes to create a natural energy; her process reflects the natural world revealing cracks and illuminating lights from within each piece. Although Crowell does not use direct representation or symbolism, she still creates work reflecting the ideals we associate with nature.
 

Elemental emphasizes the way artists view the world and how they choose to depict it within their work. Whether through color or texture, scenery or layers, these pieces grab the essence of the elements in drastically different and unique ways. The artists use their experiences within nature and through their travels to alter their views of nature and landscapes for themselves and those experiencing the artwork.

This exhibit will be up at Uprise Bakery at 10 Hitt Street in Downtown Columbia from March 25th through April 29th. All work displayed is available for purchase through Sager Braudis Gallery.