by Jeffrey Carlson
Meditative images of water and sky, the paintings of Louise LeBourgeois offer a "place of respite" for the distracted and the weary.
San Francisco's Dolby Chadwick Gallery presents a solo exhibition for notable painter Louise LeBourgeois. Towards Horizon opens April 3, with a reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m. This exhibition marks LeBourgeois's third solo show with Dolby Chadwick Gallery.
Louise LeBourgeois | Gray Dawn #517, 2014 | Oil on panel | 36 x 36 inches
Based in Chicago, LeBourgeois points to the "constant flux of Lake Michigan's waters" as the primary inspiration for her paintings -- which are rhythmic and meditative, alike but distinct. The mood and hue of each work offers a profound visual experience for the viewer. For the artist, her paintings are a "place of respite," and she compares the experience of viewing them to "coming to a place of peacefulness and tranquility after going through something really difficult."
LeBourgeois varies the orientation of her canvas and the proportion of water and sky within the canvas to maintain individuality within her paintings, and the choppy or smooth surface of the water changes the emotional content of each work significantly. Their most distinctive element, though, is a dynamic and vivid color palette that ranges from steel grays to piercing blues. Unique to each work, LeBourgeois's color alternately produces sensations of eerie foreboding and abundant peace.
Louise LeBourgeois | Moon Glow #513, 2013 | Oil on panel | 46 x 46 inches
Louise LeBourgeois (b. 1964) earned a B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an M.F.A. from Northwestern University. LeBourgeois's work is featured in numerous public and private collections. In addition to working as a professional artist, LeBourgeois teaches at Columbia College Chicago.
Louise LeBourgeois | Heat Transfer (Chicago Morning -9) #519, 2014 | Oil on panel | 46 x 46 inches
Towards Horizon will continue through April 26. To learn more, visit Dolby Chadwick Gallery's website.
This article was featured in Fine Art Today, a weekly e-newsletter from Fine Art Connoisseur
Louise LeBourgeois | Wave Action #516, 2014 | Oil on panel | 42 x 84 inches
