If you like all things bright, bold, and beautiful, then you should definitely head over to the Swope Music Building to check out their newest art exhibit “New Works” by Belle Hollon. This exhibit is shown in the Knauer Gallery, and will be shown from now until December 7 of this year. The first thing the viewer will notice is all of the bold colors used throughout Belle’s thirty-piece collection.
From the fiery, blood reds, to the deep turquoises, to the rich purples and greens, the colors used to paint the Northern Mexican landscapes are exotic and enchanting.
Belle painted just four of her paintings in her Maryland hometown and left the rest for the foreign landscapes of Mexico.
She said the only problems she encountered were the changing weather patterns, rattlesnakes, and steep rock ledges, but even those added inspiration to her works.
“My pictures don’t capture the true grandeur or drama of Mexico’s earth and sky, but I did love the thrill of making work in this context,” Belle said.
Even though these works resemble landscapes, the large brush strokes and unnatural colors made them more abstract than real-life scenes. This made them imperfect and gave the paintings more character. It also makes the viewer delve into the piece to see what it represents.
Interacting with the exhibit, studying it, and becoming part of it makes it not only interesting, but very exhilarating as well.
It is easy to picture oneself in the scene, looking up at the night sky, feeling the cold wind in your hair, hearing a coyote in the background; these abstract works really inspired me and will inspire you too.
One of my favorite pieces was titled “Amy’s Kitchen.” I was drawn to this one due to its many colors, but I also enjoyed that it actually showed objects in their true form. Instead of just blended lines and abstract shapes, it portrayed a Mexican kitchen overlooking a backyard.
There was a window, and underneath were bright multi-colored tiles, and sitting on them were blood-red flowers. I was drawn to it because to me ,it was the ideal of how Mexican kitchens look.
The clay walls, the brilliant-colored backsplashes, the dry dust that every window leads to it fit my thoughts perfectly of how a Mexican kitchen should look.
It was cool to see how colorful and decorative their kitchens were compared to those in the United States.
I also really enjoyed “Neighborhood Pines,” which seems to represent her home back in Maryland. This one was interesting because this gray, average -looking home was surrounded by a fiery orange sky and ground mixed with accents of midnight blue and forest greens.
The contrast between the neutral house and the backgrounds that surrounded it made quite a statement. It was interesting to see how different their atmosphere is from what I’m used to.
The rolling hills, the vast valleys, mountains, even the inside of their houses differ greatly from what I see day to day. It was just remarkable to see how cultures differ from each other, and I think these paintings are a good example of the vast beauty other countries have to offer.
As with any show, everything is not perfect. The only flaws I found with this collection would be the likeness between most, if not all, of the paintings.
Each one was different in a way, but the sameness between the colors and landscapes sort of made them blur together, making me have trouble distinguishing one picture from the next.
The other thing I noticed about some of the smaller water colors is that they were plain dull.
The rest of the collection used such exotic, exuberant colors, and then two or three were just neutral and blended into the tan of the painted wall they hung on. A little contrast between paintings would be good, but to go from extreme bold color to none, was a little dramatic and confusing to me.
This exhibit was a lot better than I was originally expecting. I am no art buff, but after viewing such intense pieces, I am starting to become more interested in art in general.
This collection, “New Works,” takes the viewer on a journey from Belle’s home in Maryland and ends deep in the beautiful mountains and valleys of Northern Mexico. By viewing this exhibit you will feel as if you just traveled to a different country without stepping foot outside of West Chester. I would recommend everyone venture over in between classes to get a glimpse of these beautifully- bold works.
All works can be purchased starting around $250, the most expensive being $850.
Okay, so maybe they don’t come cheap, but even though you may not have one on your bedroom walls, the colors and scenes will be burned in your mind for days to come. So why not give it a look, you will be very happy you did.
Sarah Griggs is a second-year English education major. She can be reached at SG688409@wcupa.edu.