Lorene Anderson: Troposphere – May 4 – 31, 2024

Bay Area artist, Lorene Anderson, presents TROPOSPHERE, a solo exhibition of recent acrylic paintings at Scott Richards Contemporary Art. Her first exhibition with the gallery opens on May 4 with a reception for the artist from 4 – 6 pm and continues through May 31, 2024.

Pushing the boundaries of painterly abstraction, Lorene Anderson explores the interplay of light, color, and movement, while mirroring the troposphere, the ever-shifting layers of the atmosphere that are found closest to the Earth’s surface. Yet, her fascination extends beyond visual allure. Metaphorically, speaking, she finds parallels between the swirling chaos of weather patterns and the intricate dance of atoms or sound waves. Frequencies, both in light and sound, also serve as inspiration, as do the layers of digital information that permeate our modern world. Just as the troposphere holds a multitude of unseen forces, Anderson’s layered compositions explore the hidden layers beneath the surface of perception, from WiFi signals to the subtle currents of the human body.

Anderson’s methodology has been particularly influenced by the principles of Hilma af Klint (1862-1944), the Swedish abstract painter who explored mysticism and endeavored to paint the invisible during an era marked by the discovery of subatomic particles and electromagnetic radiation. Music also plays a vital role in her creative journey, providing a varied tonal background that infuses her paintings with their essential kinetic vitality.

The multi-layered paintings demand physicality, often full body engagement. Anderson guides the fluid layers paint around the canvas tapping into gestural motions that render the seamless flow of her compositions. Carved tools become extensions of the painter’s hand, creating intricate, arabesque-like motifs, reflecting both machine-like precision and human fallibility. Ultimately her atmospheric compositions give way to chance and unpredictability, yet an overall sense of order and harmony prevails, inviting contemplation of the delicate balance found within the Universe itself.

Anderson’s works are held in various museum, private and public collections throughout California and beyond, including the Berkeley Art Museum, UC Davis Health Center, Walnut Creek Public Library, Imagery Estate Winery Artists Collection, the Los Gatos Art Museum, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, and at the Kyoto Museum, and Sakai City Cultural Hall in Japan. Additionally, one of her works has been included in the Art in Embassies program at the US Embassy in Botswana. Other recent shows include inclusion in “About Abstraction, Bay Area Women Painters” at the Bedford Gallery, Walnut Creek, and the Art Faculty and Alumni Exhibition, at Miami University Art Museum, Oxford, Ohio.