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Madeleine ArnettParadox 1 Acrylic on Canvas 30” x 30”Paradox 2 Acrylic on Canvas 30” x 30”Madeleine Arnett’s lucid and visionary paintings of waterscenes both express a sense of the artist’s personaljourney and encourage the viewer to undertake one of theirown. Colorful, hyperrealist images feature the beautiful flora andfauna of water environs, but the real depth of the works comesfrom her decision that the absence of living creatures conveys afertile experience for the imagination, making them even moremeditative and sublime.We see the fractured features of river rocks through crystallinetorrents of water, while the vivid lime green hues of algae beamupward towards a sparkling sunlit surface. These powerfullyemotive paintings reintroduce us to the elemental magic ofnature, and to water as the vital lifeblood of our world. DuringArnett’s artistic development, the portrayal of the movement ofwater became more and more animated, until finally she madethe leap into pure abstraction, something which powerfullyanimates her recent work.Madeleine in her StudioCanvases are painted in a soft gradient with a dynamicamorphous form set in the center. In her latest works one cansense the essence of fluidity, the joy of motion, and the careful attention to evocative color harmonies. There is a deliciousapplication of paint as the artist works at a quick pace to mimic the motion of moving water. Paint is smeared, daubed, pushed,and dripped onto the canvas, appearing to gurgle and bubble before our very eyes.Yet despite the pronounced fluidity, there are also remnants of Arnett’s rock studies. Layers of color ripple throughout the forms,much like the distinct layers of sedimentary rock. Arnett alternates styles between three different bodies of work, yet each ofthem preserves her passion for water and its influence on her creative life. “My art is filled with liquid light and energy,” sheexplains. “My fascination with water has fuelled my artistic drive.”Madeleine Arnett’s first exhibition was only two years ago, but the art world has already taken notice and she has had numerouscommissions. A native of the United Kingdom, she currently lives and works in Edmonton, Canada.www.hitthewallart.comwww.Agora-Gallery.com/ArtistPage/Madeleine_Arnett.aspx25 ARTisSpectrum