W-5: “Elsewhere” by Michele Montalbano
Michele Montalbano paints invented landscapes that focus on everyday escapism. A California native, Michele grew up outdoors, inherently drawn to nature. Her recent body of work depicts a world that honors nature’s beauty and provides hope and a momentary escape from a chaotic, ever-changing world—for the artist and the viewer.
A human presence is felt but not seen in these paintings. In some of the works, like “Linger Longer” or “How to Lose Yourself,” there is evidence that someone has been there. The viewer is invited to create a story from their own feelings or memories.
The paintings that place imagination over a highly rendered style, are built more upon recreating memories than on the visual data of the artist’s world, resulting in a motif existing somewhere between the familiar and the unpredictable. The result is a painting with credible space that evokes reverie and elicits Michele’s relationship with nature. Through an introspective process, she hopes to create a narrative and a space to interact and engage with.
Exhibition Dates: October 9 - November 2
Reception Date: October 12, 6-9 pm