Profiles of Contemporary Art and - ARTisSpectrum

David LaBella
Pat Fairhead
The epic American landscape abounds in eloquent details
for photographer David LaBella. He explains that being
born and based in the densely populated east (Connecticut,
specifically) has given him a subtle and focused view of
nature. This approach travels with him; even when visiting the
sprawling deserts of the west, he maintains a meticulous scope.
Though he draws on the archetypal American landscape and
its representations throughout the nation’s history, he isolates
specific, small details whose patterns and bold tones often
verge on abstraction. His photos are a kind of synecdoche,
with one intriguing fragment of nature — a tree, some stones,
the ringed pattern of sediment in a cliff face — standing in
for the sweeping landscapes we know from Ansel Adams
photos, Hudson River School paintings and countless other
precedents.
LaBella’s unique approach demonstrates phenomenal restraint,
allowing the viewer to fill in the areas outside the frame. Crisp
focus captures all the finely grained textures and sharp lines of
his subjects. The images’ formal rigor and evocative surfaces
emphasize the landscapes’ swirling, speckled patterns,
with their bold, predominantly orange palette drawn out into
a seemingly infinite gradient tinged with shades of pink and
purple. By removing concentric lines and drip-like touches of
color from their natural setting, David LaBella lets us approach
nature in new, expansive ways.
www.labellaphotographic.com
www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/David_Labella.aspx
Wind Coming Up Watercolor on paper 30” x 22”
Pursuing a lifelong fascination with the light, energy, color,
and mood of water, Canadian artist Pat Fairhead’s
newest series explores all the natural facets of water, whether
it’s cascading in a waterfall, being driven by an icy wind,
or shimmering in the still depths of a vast lake. Her large
watercolor paintings push the boundaries of figurative art into
the abstract in order to explore the essence and energy of her
subject. What results are images of pure color cast in a fluidity
of form, reflections of the natural world that pulsate with energy
and movement, bringing the landscape to life.
Always attracted to the outdoors, Fairhead draws her inspiration
from the great beauty of the landscape of her Canadian
homeland. But she has also traveled the world over, from the
High Arctic to the Amazon rainforest to the backcountry of
Australia, and these influences of diverse natural forms can be
seen in her paintings.
One of the hallmarks of her work is light, and an exploration
of all the magical ways that it intersects with the natural world.
“My goal is to paint light in such a way that it is both exciting
and mysterious: ice, fire, water, thunder, roaring sea.” Indeed,
Fairhead’s compelling paintings invite us to explore the natural
world in new and exhilarating ways.
www.patfairhead.ca
www.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Pat_Fairhead.aspx
Zion National Park, UT Digital Print on Paper 20” x 16”
102 ARTisSpectrum