New Moon Art Show
What the Rocks Remember: Karla Brieant & Sandra Hildreth
23 October - 21 November 2014
Meet the Artists Reception: Sunday 2 November; 2:00 - 5:00 PM

This exhibit, of paintings by Sandra Hildreth and photographs by Karla Brieant, will hang in the gallery space at the Paul Smith’s College VIC from 23 October to 21 November. There will be a “Meet the Artists” reception on Sunday, Nov 2, from 2 - 5.

• Sandra Hildreth started painting full time after she retired. Comfortable with both oils and watercolors, she uses whatever medium seems appropriate for what she wants to paint. Working 'en plein air' (outdoors, on location) has become her passion, although she also paints in her home studio when weather prevents outdoor work.
• Karla Brieant is a landscape/nature photographer who specializes in photographs of the Adirondack Park. She uses manual cameras and techniques; and the images seen are totally unaltered. What you see is exactly as it appeared in nature. 

The two artists decided, at the start of the year, to do a joint exhibit with the theme of rocks, but the title of the show did not emerge until the exhibit was hung. It is actually the title of one of Karla’s photos, but it perfectly expressed why Sandra loves to paint rocks.

All of the images on display are focused on rocks, not for any specific geologic interest, but the artists found they shared many other reasons for this attraction. Rocks are everywhere and often are significant forms in the landscape. They come in all shapes, colors and sizes, but most are beautifully asymmetric and often exist in interesting arrangements - or maybe it’s just the artistic eye that sees these qualities. However, more than the physical reality is appealing. Rocks have “witnessed” the passage of time. They have been created deep within the earth, their surfaces scarred by glaciers and smoothed by water. They have provided shelter and caused death. “What the Rocks Remember” is really about what the artists feel their pieces communicate. What stories could they tell?

There are 36 pieces in the show: 15 oil paintings and 1 watercolor by Hildreth; 20 photographs by Brieant. Most of the paintings were done outdoors, on location and all of the photographs were done using traditional film and processing methods. Locations range from the Adirondacks to the American West and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.