Gayle Kells & Catherine Gutsche, Aug 23 – Oct 6, 2019

Gayle Kells and Catherine Gutsche at Sivarulrasa Gallery Curated by: Sanjeev Sivarulrasa

From August 23 to October 6, 2019, Sivarulrasa Gallery is pleased to present REVERIE, a duo show featuring ethereal, dreamlike works by Ottawa-based artists Gayle Kells and Catherine Gutsche.

Artist Gayle Kells uses a variety of media to examine issues relating to identity and environment. Her ink drawings incorporate rhythmic and repetitive patterning reminiscent of tapestry, lace work, crochet and other needlework techniques. These pensive drawings evolve organically and, ultimately, offer a meditation on the beauty and mystery of the natural world. Her largest work in the show, “The Long Journey”, over 14 feet long, is the result of many months of focused drawing. It consists of free-flowing organic forms spontaneously created without reference material, using memory and influences that have accumulated in the artist’s mind over time. The work is an homage by the artist to the history of women’s needlework. She notes, “the many tedious hours spent creating this drawing mirror the time and energy expended by many, mostly women, working with embroidery, needlework and other textiles in factories and in the home.”

Artist Catherine Gutsche creates intricate non-representational compositions, often alluding to forms in nature but highly abstracted. Freed from representational limits, her interest is in colour, line and texture, driven by a need to “engage my mind”. The two largest paintings in this show “Spring Flurry” and “Lake Waves Breaking” were completed by the artist during her recent artist residency on Toronto Island. “I allowed myself to respond to my environment, taking daily walks to the southern beach”, she notes. Her paintings are largely process-driven, using a variety of tools in the studio, including brushes, palette knives, skewer sticks, tree branches, and even metal spikes to sometimes gouge the surface she is working on. She works with acrylics as well as oils combined with cold wax.

Vernisage/Artists Reception: Saturday Sept 7, 3pm-6pm. Artists Gayle Kells and Catherine Gutsche will be in attendance.

Call us at 613-256-8033 or email [email protected] to inquire about the works below. The works, including pricing information, can also be seen on our Virtual Gallery.