February 25 – March 27, 2021
Virtual Reception on Saturday, March 6, 7:00 pm
6 Bridges Gallery is pleased to present “Anthropause,” an exhibit of recent works by our associate member artists. The exhibit will be on view at our temporary location, 63 Nason Street, Maynard, from February 25 through March 27, 2021. A virtual reception will be held on Saturday, March 6 at 7:00pm. Please pre-register to attend the reception by clicking the link here: https://forms.gle/pTKYhU6fxT3NkGkE8.
Anthropause is a term that’s been coined to describe the dramatic interruption in human activity as a result of the pandemic lockdowns.
In this Anthropause exhibit, Jeanne D’Amico, Natalie MacKnight, Brent Mathison, Peggy McClure, and Judith Stein introduce new bodies of work that reflect their personal responses to these extraordinary circumstances. The pandemic’s societal interruptions influenced and shifted the artists’ connections with nature, leading them to new explorations of techniques and approaches and deepening their artistic practice. Works in the exhibit include ceramics, drawings, photography, collage and mixed media paintings.
Click the Artist’s names below to view their full exhibit:
Jeanne D’Amico – Ceramic artist Jeanne D’Amico took the opportunity to explore different forms, glazes and a new soda ash firing technique. Her functional ceramic vessels are hand built and range from simple pinch pots to cups, plates and vases.
Natalie MacKnight – When the world shut down, Natalie MacKnight embraced the solitude of local trails that she hadn’t traversed in many years. Regular walks through the forest revealed to her the subtleties of day-to-day changes in color, texture and quality of light. What remained constant through it all, though, were massive boulders that punctuate the trailside. These boulders, and the spaces they define in their surroundings, became a new source of inspiration. MacKnight’s artworks in this exhibit are an exploration of the emotional presence of these boulders in the forest.
Brent Mathison – While many people have found the pandemic a time to deepen their connection with nature, Mathison has experienced the opposite during the past year. Usually, his work celebrates the beauty of the natural world, but the muted colors and out of focus edges of the photos in this series reflect the struggle Mathison has experienced in connecting with and drawing inspiration from nature.
Peggy McClure – Time in nature during the pandemic engendered a sense of solitude rather than isolation for McClure. She used the back yard to create new work on paper, and on long daily walks in the local woods and parks, took hundreds of photographs with her phone and DSLR camera. Skies were clear, and nature was flourishing during the pause, while all other norms were disintegrating. Her photographs reflect the experiences of the past year.
Judith Stein – Throughout the pandemic, Judith Stein found that spending time in nature was a source of refuge, resilience and renewed energy. In this exhibit, her abstract oil and cold wax paintings highlight the rhythms, textures, and vivid colors she observed while walking in the nearby woods or on her favorite beaches. These works reflect the joy, peace, and solitude experienced on her walks as well as the worries and uncertainties she has felt during this epidemic.