Abbie Read | Aarhus Gallery

July 3-July 29, 2012
Opening Reception Friday July 6, 5-8pm

We are pleased to have guest artist Abbie Read of Appleton kick off the summer season with a mixed media exhibit for the month of July. Abbie has taught painting, drawing, printmaking, 2-D and 3-D design, and presently teaches workshops on artist books, bookbinding, altered books and art journaling. She says, “I like to respond to the world metaphorically with imagery from the natural world and through the use of found objects: to conjure associations and trigger memories…”

The installation, Library, takes two years worth of individually crafted pieces, many in book form, and puts them to use as components in a large relief collage. While the approach to crafting the individual parts is formal, presenting mostly mundane found objects as treasures, the overall impact of the diverse collection as a composition, curiously imparts a more personal meaning. The beauty and allure of humble, old things with surfaces that reflect only a nebulous past and indeterminate age may still be understood. The juxtaposition of their colors, forms and textures add up to something greater and tell a bigger story than the sum of their parts.

Lucky, is also a collage, representing in paper, a quilt; emblematic of home and comfort. Abbie asked friends and family to participate in this piece by relating to her stories of a time or an incident when they felt particularly lucky. This idea grew out of her personal cathartic search to identify and explain the unexplainable.

Also showing will be the work of Aarhusians Kevin Johnson, Mark Kelly, Richard Mann, Wesley Reddick and Willy Reddick.

Artist Talk

On Saturday July 28th at 11:30 in the gallery, as part of the Belfast Bound Book Festival, Abbie will be giving a brief artist talk about her exhibition. Later in the day, at 2:00 also at Åarhus, she will be teaching a workshop entitled “Hand Crafting Your Own Book”. Participants will make a small blank book with a sewn binding. The workshop will cost $30 per person including materials and will run about two hours. Please call the gallery at 338-0001 to register. Class size is limited to 8 people.