Vivid Art Gallery First Friday Art Opening

Vivid Art Gallery will host an art opening for Featured Artist Susan Jacoby on November 4th at its monthly First Friday. The event, which runs from 5-7 PM, is open to all and is free of charge. In addition to great art, there will also be refreshments and live music at the gallery. 
 
Jacoby will be presenting new work in her exhibit entitled Where I Wonder. Like much of her previous work, these paintings will consist of interpretations of the sky and water. Jacoby says, “I am particularly drawn to the water and sky not only because of the ever-changing patterns they provide, but also because of the climatic changes that allow various aspects of the landscape to emerge.” When looking for a landscape to paint, she focuses on the atmospheric qualities that she sees. She searches for qualities like the reflection of the sun off of the clouds, or the misty, foggy landscape after a hard rain.  A Winnetka-based artist, much of Jacoby’s inspiration comes from Lake Michigan and other places in northern Michigan, although photos from her travels also inform her work.
 
Beginning with a photograph, or several, Jacoby starts her process by painting two initial underlying layers. First, she covers her entire canvas using a specific orange-red color. She explains “I like starting with the orange-red background because my colors end up very subtle and very quiet. The red underpainting keeps the colors lively. In my second layer I typically sketch the scene, again using bright colors. With the thin layers that I use, these colors provide the painting with some luminosity that I subsequently build upon with additional layers.” 
 
The resulting paintings are serene and subtle by design, with a soothing color palette and a noticeable lack of visible brushstrokes.  Jacoby uses a special painting technique to achieve a completely flat finish, which adds to the calm feeling of her work. 
 
Where I Wonder will be displayed throughout the month of November. Please stop by the gallery to see these beautiful paintings.