Opening Reception Tuesday, March 8, 5:00 – 7:00 PM,
Patton-Malott Gallery at Anderson Ranch
Aspen/Snowmass, Colo. (February 29, 2016) — Anderson Ranch Arts Center, a premier art making destination and catalyst for critical dialogue in the contemporary art world, presents a solo exhibition of new works by Nashville-based artist Alex Blau entitled “Rainbowhead.” The exhibition features 16 paintings on view at the Patton-Malott Gallery at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Snowmass Village, Colo., March 7 – April 1, Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. The public is invited to a special opening reception on Tuesday, March 8, 5:00 – 7:00 PM. The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
“Rainbowhead” is Blau’s first solo exhibition with Anderson Ranch. A culmination of experiments Blau has been working on for some time, “Rainbowhead” presents a departure of sorts: the materials are consistent with her work over the last 20 years, but the method and touch are completely new. All paintings are made with acrylic and water-based airbrush paint, and range in size from 10 x 10 in. up to 36 x 36 in. Blau explores the expressiveness of the airbrush as well as the intricacies of focus and distance in her work.
Blau has shown in group shows during previous experiences living and working at Anderson Ranch. Her history with the Ranch dates back to 1995 when she worked as a Painting Intern. Most recently, she taught a workshop in 2015.
“It is an honor for me to show at the Patton-Malott Gallery at Anderson Ranch,” notes Blau. “There’s a lot of history there, and it is humbling to join the ranks of artists who have shown at the gallery. While I have a gallery in Nashville, it is important that this is brand new work debuts at the Ranch.”
For more information, please visit andersonranch.org or call 970/923.3181.
About Alex Blau
Alex Blau’s geometric paintings draw from a variety of sources and have unexpected associations. By variously utilizing graphic languages associated with things like disposable consumer goods, computer generated architectures and unfolding mandalas, Blau’s work both points to abstraction’s open-ended possibility and highlights its incorporation into mass culture. Blau has an M.F.A. from Rhode Island School of Design and works primarily in painting. She has had solo shows at several venues, including Zeitgeist Gallery in Nashville, Firecat Projects in Chicago, Gallery Seomi in Seoul, Mark Moore Gallery in Santa Monica, Kevin Bruk Gallery in Miami, Barbara Davis Gallery in Houston and the New Britain Museum of American Art. Blau is the recipient of several awards including a Joan Mitchell M.F.A. grant. She is currently teaching art at Austin Peay State University and working in her studio in Nashville, Tenn.
About Anderson Ranch Arts Center
Founded in 1966, Anderson Ranch Arts Center is a premier destination in America for art making and critical dialogue, bringing together aspiring and internationally renowned artists to discuss and further their work in a stimulating environment. Nestled in the Rocky Mountains of Aspen/Snowmass, Colo., the Ranch hosts extensive workshops for aspiring, emerging and established artists in eight disciplines, including Photography & New Media, Ceramics, Painting & Drawing, Furniture Design & Woodworking, Sculpture, Woodturning, Printmaking, and Digital Fabrication. In addition to the Summer Series: Featured Artists & Conversations, the Ranch also hosts engaging events throughout the year including: the Recognition Dinner (Thursday, July 21) honoring the National Artist Award and Service to the Arts Award recipients; the Annual Art Auction & Community Picnic (Saturday, August 6), a thirty-six-year-old tradition which features works of local, national and international artists; and the Artists-in-Residence Program, fostering artistic growth for emerging and established visual artists. In 2016 Anderson Ranch celebrates its 50th anniversary, furthering its mission to enrich lives with art, inspiration and community. Learn more at www.andersonranch.org or 970/923.3181.
