Artists William Ruller and Saul Hoffman join Susan Reid in this group exhibition of textured abstract paintings that beg to be touched. Ruller creates large, tangible, subtly colored geometric paintings. He combines oil paint with textures of crumbled brick and concrete to represent the frailties of humanity; and the erosion of lives that once existed. Hoffman’s clay mosaics are diametrically opposed to Ruller’s in that they are bursting with small, colorful and almost candy-like details and pattern. Middle ground is created by the aboriginal inspired dot paintings of Susan Reid. Her deliberate geometric pattern have a meditative, yet mesmerizing quality about them that is uniquely her own.
Clay artist Saul Hoffman transforms polymer clay into wall art. His work is full of whimsy, color and patterns inspired by his love for life, his family and by the world around him. Originally, Hoffman used polymer clay to create beads, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, magnets, wrapping vases and other items. He traveled the country selling his art jewelry at UWMilwaukee, Goldi’s Shoe Parlor, New Orleans streets, and Door County, Wisconsin galleries. Later during a residency in Jemez Springs, New Mexico from 2003-2005, he became inspired to transform polymer clay into wall art and has been experimenting with this direction ever since. On the surface it appears as if the clay has been painted, but it has not. Hoffman says, “I blend all my colors manually; it takes hours of kneading and rolling clay to get just a couple of colors. I then layer, or swirl, the colors and stack them into canes which are long, lean bricks.” The canes are then sliced to create the tiles for the mosaics. It takes further work to get them assembled and cured. Hoffman lives in Albuquerque where he also works as a real estate broker and a photographer.
Susan Reid paints dots. They are all about motion, vibration and color, inspired by nature, science, math, and cultures around the world. Byzantine tile, native beadwork, the symmetrical patterns of mandalas, and fractals are examples, but it’s Australian Aboriginal Art that most influences her work. Reid took a trip to Australia in 1997 and has been painting dots ever since. With exhibitions in New York, Singapore, Washington, and New Mexico, most of Reid’s artwork can be found locally in Albuquerque.
William Ruller was missing-in-action the evening of the art opening and was unavailable for an interview.
Touch/Tone will hang through June 27th at Matrix Fine Art located in Albuquerque’s historic Nob Hill, 3812 Central Avenue SE, Suite 100 A, Albuquerque, NM 87108, (505) 268-8952, www.matrixfineart.com
