She as Archangel
As was pointed out in a recent CityScene profile if you haven’t heard of the artist named Stephanie Rond, you are likely to have seen one of her large outdoor paintings.
I can tell you from personal experience that you are in for a treat. There is a rush of energy and easygoing goodwill from this very thoughtful artist. Patrons of the arts will have a chance to meet Rond, for she is having a solo show during September at Sharon Weiss Gallery. This exhibition features a range of paintings up to 6.5-by-8 feet.
“Making art is always about experience and making comments,” Rond says. “It’s a platform to have a bigger comment about what’s happening in our culture. And it’s my responsibility to help make that platform.”
I really love when I see a painter that will invent techniques and tools to further their art-making vocabulary. Rond is certainly one of those painters, but it’s not for novelty or experimentation. When she needs something, she creates it if it doesn’t already exist and keeps going with the painting. Her work combines hand-cut stencils, spray paint, collage and photos. You might think that many of these ideas or tools don’t fit into the canon of what we think of painting – what many think of as painting with a capital P – but as it’s been shown throughout history, painters will invent things to get the job done.
“I hope people think more about how they’re treating other people,” Rond says. “It’s important to be uncomfortable. It’s important to say things and discuss things that make you uncomfortable. Maybe it can help us be a little nicer.”
In October, Sharon Weiss Gallery will feature artist Sophie Knee, who was featured within the January/February issue of CityScene.
You are Hardwired to be Kind
Michael McEwan teaches oil painting classes in his Summit Street studio. His paintings are available exclusively from Keny Galleries. Learn more at www.michaelmcewan.com
