SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- Toomey Tourell Fine Art announces an exhibition of mixed media wall pieces and sculpture by Rhode Island based artist Allison Paschke.
Paschke's works explore light: reflected, filtered, scattered, glowing or refracted. In the artist's words: "The ephemeral is especially beautiful to me -- the passing of light, and the delicate and fragile. Trying to capture these things is a futile bid for immortality."
"All of my work is interactive," says Paschke. "Sometimes the vistor's movement through space and light affects the piece; sometimes the interaction is directly physical. I am looking for a present tense engagement, not a remote contemplation".
The materiality of Paschke's work distinguishes it from the tradition of Los Angeles "Light and Space" artists such as James Turrell, who use light as both subject and medium. Paschke layers translucent materials and works with subtle shifts in color to enrich the tactile and physical qualities in her work. Her spare compositions and use of geometric systems remind one of early minimalists, but this artist's use of materials is anything but industrial.
The work in this exhibition engages the viewer in a tension-filled interchange. Her mirror paintings change as the viewer moves past, peers into, and catches reflections and distortions. Moving from diminutive sculptures to large scale mirror paintings and back to tiny mylar paintings constantly shifts the scale.
Paschke's most recent work contains a new sense of space for the viewer to explore. In the "Gold and White" series, there is more distance between the the mirror itself and the very thin layer of paint on the surface.. The thick layer of epoxy resin between the two holds shadows, reflections, and nearly transparent color. In the "Gold and White Vessel" series, both large and small wall pieces serve as vessels for holding light, and for holding softened reflections of the room around them. The compositions invite multiple interpretations: landscapes, doors, bowls, or hanging fabric. Some compositions resemble mathematical curves such as sine waves or parabolas.
Paschke's work is in public and private collections including the Kansas City Art Institute, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and DMB&B.This is Allison Paschke's second exhibition with Toomey Tourell.
