“Color Unfolding” recent paintings by Mel Prest

K. Imperial Fine Art is pleased to present COLOR UNFOLDING, a solo exhibition by new gallery artist Mel Prest.

With an eye for color and a steady hand, Mel Prest creates vivid illusory fields. At first seemingly hard-edged, closer inspection reveals arrays and meshes of hand-painted lines created by the finest of brush tips. The visuals soften and vibrate under the eye, engaging with the rhythm of hand and mark. Her work generates a spectral energy that buzzes, hums and rises from the paintings.

Prest’s work employs phenomena of landscape and light. Recent paintings are inspired by scents found in nature, wind, light effects like penumbras and sun dogs, and energies that are experienced with non-optical senses. The color comes through like a flavor, or a touch or scent that emerges slowly through semi-transparent layers. The linework follows as a mark; building in tempo, shaking like a maraca or flowing like the waves coming toward shore. Between the spaces the perceived combinations often create an optical mirage that hovers above the painting’s surface.

Mel Prest earned her BFA from Rhode Island School of Design, and her MFA from Mills College, Oakland, CA. She lives and works in San Francisco, CA. Prest’s work has been exhibited internationally including: The Drawing Center, New York; The Weatherspoon Museum of Art, Durham, NC; IS Projects, Leiden, The Netherlands; and Nakaochiai Gallery, Tokyo.

COLOR UNFOLDING will be on view July 15 – August 31, 2021 with an opening reception on Saturday, July 17 from 12-3PM. The gallery is open by appointment only.  Please contact kimperialfineart@me.com for inquiries.

Photo credit: John Janca