“This Is Us” is a reflection of the work of the two Gallery 40  curators, Paola Bari and Mary Ann Glass, and their invited guests, Leslie Bender and Nansi Lent. Gallery 40 celebrates these four artists working in different mediums and different interpretations, from realism to abstract, from patterns to whimsical.

Paola Bari has been painting on porcelain since her teenage years, developing and integrating traditional overglaze painting with new techniques and materials.  Most of her work has leveraged the entire palette of the overglaze colors, with the addition of precious metals and lusters. In this exhibition, you can see her passion for repetition and patterns. Repetitive elements are what determines the pace and the balance of the finished work. Combined with patterns, repetition works to make the image alive, while at the same time creating unity within the work of art. The use of repetition, pattern and rhythm are key elements to help ourselves to identify our place within a wider structure. And at the same time they provide us with a sense of comfort and ease. 

In this show, Mary Ann Glass' photographs celebrate graffiti.  We pass by these ubiquitous marks everyday, barely glancing at them. But looked at closely, graffiti are public if sometimes accidental art: abstractions, mark making exercises. The images in this show were shot mainly in Poughkeepsie and New York City.  Rather than photographing an entire scene, she finds her joy in closing in on those portions that speak to her, that have rhythm, texture and soul. 

Leslie Bender has been a practicing artist her entire life, drawing stampedes of horses as a young child, among other age-related interests. Her artworks have been

sparks of fire shooting out from extreme heated metal upon the anvil.

In her recent years, the imagery in her artwork shifted dramatically. She had a mystical experience that cracked her belief system wide open. She could perceive what

her two cats were saying to her, she understood that although our bodies die, we don’t die, our consciousness lives on, bright and full of Love. Her paintings now have begun to reflect the Spirit landscape: faeries, mystical moonlight scenes and her Spirit Guides.

Through her abstract asemic artwork, Nansi Lent explores the power of illegible text as a universal language that transcends linguistic boundaries. In a world where words can often divide, she seeks to create a visual tapestry of shared emotions and experiences that may resonate with viewers, regardless of their cultural or linguistic background.

Within her paintings the illegible script becomes a conduit for the unspeakable, the intangible and the entanglements of mind. It reflects the human condition, representing the thoughts, hopes, dreams and fears that are inherent to our existence. These emotions are not bound by language; they are the threads that connect us all as individuals navigating the complexities of life. Ultimately, her art is an invitation to embrace the poetry of our shared humanity, to recognize the universality of our emotions, and to celebrate the threads of connection that binds us together. Through the ruminating rhythm and enigmatic presence of illegible symbols and text, she aspires to evoke a sense of resonance, fostering a collective journey of self-reflection, understanding and unity.

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Opening Reception: Saturday, June 1, 2024  5-7 pm

On display through June 30, 2024