‘Alone Together’ Now on Display at Canyon Square

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

“Alone Together”—a show from Beanie Kaman and Michael Freitas Wood of “thought-provoking pieces that explore pattern and texture in a variety of mediums and scales”—is on display at gallery169 in Canyon Square.

“They have been married 33 years, having met while exhibiting together in Seoul, South Korea, in 1987,” according to information shared in a press release. “While they have worked all their lives as individual artists, with their own specific voices, invariably there are references and influences from each other from working in close proximity.”

Some of these influences and references include a love of nature and peace, as well as looking for connections to the viewer by “recognition of the images.”

“Wood paints using patterns and grids, allowing for the duality of spontaneity and controlled images to play out on the surface as he works,” the press release continued. “Kaman, working with textiles, uses iconic images from nature while painting, sewing and collaging fabrics, threads and papers to create both 2 and 3D artwork that reflect her impressions of the natural world.”

Kaman shared that “nature is still a constant, inherent, subconscious, underlying influence,” but more recently, the artist has been “entranced by the magic of the materials” she uses. She explained that “incredible patterns, colors and textures from silks, heavy canvases, papers and threads” inspire her to create pieces that reflect their beauty.

“By hand-sewing each piece of fabric to the next, the artworks are like making puzzles, almost a game to find what works together to an unseen end,” Kaman said. “Playing this way allows for making circular and odd shaped pieces as well as the traditional rectangle. There is less of a narrative story and more of a graphic quality that comes about as well, letting the materials be the star of the show.”

Canyon Square hosted a celebration on Saturday, October 22, welcoming the opening of the show as well as The Canyon Grocer and Rustic Coffee.

“While each works in the studio separately,” the press release concluded, “there is still a sense of influencing of one another after being together so many years.”

“Alone Together” will be on display through December 2. For more information, visit gallery169.com.