Canadian visual artist, Vicky Lentz translates unhindered insight from nature onto several mediums. She creates abstract and contemporary work using steel, clay, acrylic, oil paint, and mixed media on canvas.
The aesthetic of nature inspires Lentz to create from a place of silence and organic movement. She creates limitless, abstract sculptures, paintings, 2-D creations in her studio surrounded in the woods, and public installation pieces displayed in Montreal, Canada. Lentz listens deeply to the hum of the universe found in the forest surrounding her home in Canada. Living in nature allows for her creativity to connect through different mediums to communicate a new vernacular of abstract art. Lentz shows regularly in exhibitions in eastern Canada. Her work has shown nationally, internationally and in the United States in Maine and Chicago, Illinois. Lentz continues her growth in her art career to a national level, outside her home province. Ingrid Mueller Art + Concepts represent her work currently in Fredericton and St. Andrews, New Brunswick. Lentz also completed an artist residency at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery this year. The creative process for Lentz flows with the organic rhythm of life’s cycles. She creates colorful vibrations from the abundance of her environment. A fallen tree in the woods became her art installation in nature. She wrapped the branches in colorful yarn. She connects the fluid aspect of ever changing, constantly in motion, transforming, atoms in motion to environmental canvas, paper, steel, and mixed media. Her color choices pop off the wall and satisfy the viewer with an abstract smile. Lentz translates her experience in nature as an abstract language on canvas. Each painting overflows with the essence of organic fulfillment and projects a spacious quality of measureless wisdom. The organic shapes within her art comes through a juxtaposition of unique sculptures in nature, paintings oozing with spacious texture, and public installation pieces where viewers become a part of the creative atmosphere. Lentz’s color choice beams a light of exploratory contemporary expression. She constantly tries new techniques and materials to express her experience authentically in the world of abstract art. “I go through phases of color in my work. Sometimes I use recycled metals, rusted metals, bouncing from a neutral color palette to full on color,” said Lentz. Lentz introduces an abstract energy through the portal of her personal experience within nature. The issue in today’s society highlights the lack of connection with nature. Lentz brings awareness to nature deficit disorder and challenges the viewer to feel the natural organic qualities within her art. She zeros in on the organic detail and intertwines lines of the natural ebb and flow of the universe into her work. Her paintings drip with creative flow and allowance of positive space to compliment the negative. She creates a silent dialogue of abstract imagery on canvas and through sculptures. The simple line work and brush strokes evoke satisfaction and euphoria. Living deep in the woods allows Lentz to access the silence in the space of nature to enter an alternative flow. This energy is transferable to the work Lentz creates. She uses communion with nature to inspire the ebb and flow within her paintings and sculptures. The texture remains remarkable on canvas. She speaks a language of pink lemonade daydream meets a modern twist of honey dipped blues. The line work and jabs of brush marks speak a contemporary language of organic soul meets space captured in time. As Lentz introduces her upcoming series “Deeply Listening”, she brings the richness of silence to life on canvas. Her use of mix media patterns creates a satisfying feeling of spaciousness within her work. Lentz views nature as a transparent holographic image to inspire her vessel of work. She goes inside the petals of flowers with observation– Going inside the cells of a petal. Trying to refine by connecting and listening, everything becomes vibrational – A connection to the environment. “Human condition is not what we live. Going deeper to what’s around us. Not being rushed. I am a witness. My purpose is to be present,” said Lentz, “As an artist, I can transfer what I’m experiencing onto canvas or by welding steel,” said Lentz. “Original art has vibrations to pick up on. I am here to express the life around me in a sensitive way,” said Lentz, “My art allows you to glimpse the connection.” Art NXT Level has allowed Lentz to continue to flourish as a successful artist through creating a community of like-minded individuals to ask questions, get feedback, and connect with artists internationally. “Networking is such a big part of growing an art career and it’s not easy in a small town,” said Lentz, “I searched online and found Sergio’s program, Art NXT Level, and felt really connected with the authentic way these people really care.” “Art NXT Level constantly gives me something to learn,” said Lentz, “I find it so helpful to ask questions, get feedback on my work, and talk to other artists.” “Having a community is really important when you’re trying to make a career in art. I have been a member of Art NXT Level for a year and a half,” said Lentz. The abstract world of contemporary art welcomes the success and deep rooted stillness found within Lentz’s work. She defines a new meaning for mixed media, abstract and contemporary artwork through creating stillness within a world of chaos. Each creation remains fresh and pure. Lentz creates from the center of truth, nature, and beauty. The truth revealed in nature translates the message of organic beauty within Lentz’s work.
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California artist, Letty Del Val Peters transcends time and space using visions from the spiritual realm to inspire her work. She practices mindfulness, transcendental meditation, and paints multidimensional patterns mixed with realism onto canvas. Peters original roots touch base in Orange County, California. She currently resides in a small town called Fraint in central California with her family. Peters spiritual gift to channel messages, visions, and angelic figures in the spiritual realm roots in her daily practice of transcendental meditation and bible study. As Peters celebrates her first solo exhibition with the “Symbol of Peace” series, she plans for her next series, “Messages from Heaven”. The success of her first solo exhibition ripples into her neighborhood in California. She sold over 25 prints and three original works within five hours from her “Symbols of Peace” series. The genesis of the creative process for Peters “Is to stay present in the moment and allow the spiritual messages to come through.” When the fires were running rampant in California, the news covered a story highlighting a family burning alive in their car and showed the burnt baby car seat. Peters was in awe of the terrors of the California fires. She found herself praying at night. “I prayed for angels to protect the people and animals in danger,” said Peters, “Then a vision came to me as an angel standing on a cliff looking at the fires. I sketched the vision that night then painted it the next day and named it, Silent Watcher.” The painting, Silent Watcher, sold during her solo exhibition. Peters shared personal stories, spiritual visions with other Californians during the exhibit. She received responses from the audience how they saw animals in the shape of smoke in her painting, Silent Watcher. Peters creative process remains pure and authentic. She sketches visions and spiritual messages as they arise in the present moment then, paints on canvas with acrylic. Peters often infuses watercolor and markers to add a mixed media flavor to her work. She starts with quieting the mind and practicing transcendental meditation. “I meditate before I paint,” said Peters, “I want to be completely present. I want to feel the energy come from within and transcend into physical reality.” Visions of angels come to life on Peters’ canvas. Her personal story of touching the essence of angels began when she was young. “When I was five years old, I got separated from my parents and lost in a market place in Mexico,” said Peters, “A young teenage boy saw me panic with fear when I was lost, walked up to me and held my hand. His face was glowing and his presence was so peaceful. I was no longer in panic. Everything was at peace once he took my hand. He then walked me into a police station, this glowing beautiful boy, and told me to sit here to wait for my parents. Eventually, my parents arrived. The police told my parents I walked in alone. They did not see the glowing teenage boy holding my hand. The young teenage boy was an angel.” Peters, now 50, paints with the same peaceful feeling she had when holding the hand of the angelic teenage boy in Mexico at the supermarket. She sees angels. She paints angels. She is a channel for the spiritual realm. “As I walk through this spiritual journey as an artist, I shine my light to others. Everyone has the same soul. We are one,” said Peters. Spiritual visions reveal themselves to Peters through her practice of prayer, transcendental meditation in nature, and at her local Buddhist temple. “I believe meditation is a portal. It helps with any type of anxiety or stress. I remain settled and centered to create from a place of peace,” said Peters. Peters is active member from Art NXT Level and took on Sergio Gomez’ “small works” challenge. She was a computer programmer for 20 years and let go from her job two years ago. Shortly after, Peters found herself immediately buying new canvas. She then researched and found Art NXT Level to catapult her career. “I started with a challenge Sergio gave us, the small work challenge,” said Peters, “This taught me a lot about persistence and diligence as an active artist. Art NXT Level has taught me how to meet my goals and to create a timeline as an artist. In essence, artists work for themselves.” “Sergio guided me in the right direction. He gave constant feedback and answered all my questions. I am forever grateful,” said Peters, “He’s the catapult that pushed me out into my career in art.” Her “Symbols of Peace” series comprised of ten different pieces, communicates the sound of the universe as vibration coming out to the masses. This series captures the movement and vibrations of sound within the universe. The piece within this series, “Primordial Sound”, came to Peters during meditation practice. “The vision came to me when I was meditating at the Buddhist temple,” said Peters, “I felt the symbol of OM, the sound of the universe.” Peters continues to practice Christian faith and Buddhism. “I’ve lived and read numerous spiritual books. I understand it’s all interconnected – All these faiths are connected,” said Peters. Peters art transcends time and rewires the viewer’s mind to see angelic visions and messages on canvas. Follow Letty Del Val Peters art through instagram: @Letty_Delval
For all art inquires email: [email protected] Chicago artist, Kelly Mathews brings authentic truth, political, and social injustice frustrations to surface through her art. She works in layers of encaustic and large scale image transfers.
Mathews describes encaustic as “painting with beeswax”. She has exhibited at the Zhou B. Art Center, 33 Contemporary Gallery, solo exhibitions, group shows, holds space in private collections, and currently a feature artist at Highland Park Art Center. Mathews grew up in a small town in Iowa and studied film and video at Kansas City Art Institute in the late 1980’s. She professionally competed and showed Arabian horses for 25 years. “The Arabian horse is living art,” said Mathews. She has since retired from showing horses professionally to return to art full time. Mathews artwork raises conversation in social and political injustices. Her recent project “Resist Fear” was a public engagement piece. She used large panels where people wrote down personal fears. The panels then go through a literal and figurative transformation. Mathews took the panel and buried everyone’s fears with black wax writing “Resist Fear”. She pours the letters using encaustic. The raised words jump of the page and into the psyche of the viewer. This project allowed for Mathews to put fear in perspective and release the attachment to fears. “This was probably the biggest growing experience,” said Mathews, “I really got out of my own head and realized the things that control my life, my fear.” She learned about the fears of others getting deported. People shared the fear of losing everything, their home, family, and jobs. This was a humbling and ground breaking experience for all members involved in the “Resist Fear” project. Mathews is a recovering addict and bipolar. She uses these challenges to inspire and excel in her art career. “Art has been the most stable aspect in my life,” said Mathews, “I was not diagnosed with bipolar disorder until my late twenties”. She has recently submitted works to “The Ryan Licht Sang Bipolar Foundation”. Creating art allows for Mathews to see the beauty in challenges. “No matter how ugly that topic may be, there is beauty in the way it is communicated visually,” said Mathews. Mathews continues to allow art speaks volumes in the world of yearning for equality. “All men and women are created equal,” said Mathews, “I find it incredibly frustrating — The social issues. Social injustice or any kind of oppression is very confusing to understand the thought process behind it.” “Art helps me find a way to communicate when words aren’t’ found and people are no longer really listening,” said Mathews. Mathews creates art to exercise frustrations of any kind of oppression in the equanimity of this world. She shares her experience being a part of Art NXT Level, a professional development for artists, as “invaluable”. “Once I retired from training horses professionally, I was going into full time art,” said Mathews, “Since I went to art school in the 80’s, my resources were limited.” “I was looking for an online mentorship platform and found Sergio through Art NXT Level. He has answered and continues to answer any questions I have,” said Mathews, “Sergio and his wife have helped me create a professional artist website using word press, a free platform." “Through joining Art NXT Level, Sergio helped get my first exhibition and continues to help me grow through giving feedback on my work,” said Mathews. Art NXT Level has allowed for Mathews to grow as an artist. “I would not have known where to begin if it was not for joining Art NXT Level,” said Mathews, “Now that I’m getting shows and gaining credibility, dreams come true.” Art has allowed Mathews to break through the political and social injustices adding a whimsical touch of encaustic to share her truths with society. Utilizing the technical qualities of encaustic, half chemistry, half creativity, Mathews continues to grow and evolve as a professional artist in Chicago. |
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November 2020
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