Grace Hudson Museum

Works by Seven Contemporary Artists:
Hans Bruhner, Gary Church, Pamela Hahn, Elizabeth Ross, Robert Ross, Stephen Rubin, and Catherine Woskow

July 8, 2006 – September 17, 2006

"Ghost" by Catherine Woskow, acrylic and muslin on panel, 19" high x 85" wide

Throughout history, artists of many cultures have used image abstraction to express their views of life. Whether depicting the natural world surrounding them, or a spiritual, symbolic world within, they have recorded their unique and impassioned vision of time, place, process and conceptual context for succeeding generations. The artists in this show continue this tradition of abstract expression in their modern journeys of creation.

"Finding the Way" by Pamela Hahn, encaustic painting, 18" x 18," 2006
Photograph by Mark Safron

For Pamela Hahn of Mendocino, a found collage element or a fragment of family history will suggest a destination for her dreamy translucent encaustic paintings. Robert Ross of Fort Bragg depends on society's cast-offs for the raw material and visionary inspiration he utilizes in creating his evocative large collages of graphic resonance. Similarly, Gary Church of Philo constructs large wood and metal sculptural entities from discarded industrial objects. Hans Bruhner of Comptche combines his own photography with paint and old flea market finds to fabricate his mythic assemblages.

"Tigres" by Robert Ross, collage

"Untitled" by Hans Bruhner, assemblage
sculpture, 2003. Photograph by Tom Liden

"Samurai" by Gary Church, brass, steel and paint
assemblage sculpture, 2004. 26" h. x 18" w. x 14" d.

The other three artists in this exhibition rely on the process of painting to guide them through a trance of color, shape, composition and surface until a new meditative world is complete, bordered by the edges of the canvas. In his studio outside Boonville, Stephen Rubin invents magnified and richly colored organic shapes of imaginary life processes in various stages of evolution. Elizabeth Ross in Philo incorporates archetypal shapes in her complex and colorful explorations of inner unconscious knowledge. Strongly influenced by Asian cultures, Catherine Woskow of Ukiah creates color-field paintings in which bright panels or calligraphic strokes accent large areas of subtle tones. Her iconic works radiate a sense of elegant, peaceful, space.

"The Beautiful Unknown" by Elizabeth Ross, oil painting, 18" x 24"

These seven artists all create art that reconciles the outer contemporary world with their personal histories and inner vision. Each piece represents an individual quest to an abstract truth.

Marvin Schenck,
Curator, Grace Hudson Museum

"Turning Back" by Stephen Rubin, oil on wood panel, 12" x 12," 2006.