Friday, May 27, 2011

Artwork by Seattle Artist April Richardson Next at Icicle Arts Gallery

Icicle Arts Gallery presents “From Weeds to Wildflowers,” featuring mixed media monotype prints by Seattle artist April Richardson. The exhibit opens on June 7 and will be on display until July 16, 2011.  A reception for the artist will be held on Friday, June 10, from 5PM to 7PM with free admission, refreshments, and local wines by donation. The gallery is located at Barn Beach Reserve - 347 Division Street in downtown Leavenworth. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11AM to 5PM and by appointment.    

As an artist, Richardson is intrigued by “life and death and everything in between. Continuity, repetition, adaptation to circumstance. Memory. What happens when light is limited or space is restricted, or there's too much of a good thing. What was here yesterday? What will be here tomorrow?” Her creative process starts with a drawing from life, and combines painting, printmaking, and collage to make mixed media monotypes; unique prints. Lush color, flowing lines and sensual curves and edges create a world within each piece. She applies thin layers of ink and paper and then scrapes or tears them away, rebuilding layer after layer to achieve depth and rich textures.  Paint and other surface treatments transform a print to a complex and evocative work of art.

Richardson’s work has been shown at numerous galleries around the Pacific Northwest and have been selected for collections at Swedish Medical Center, Oregon Health Sciences University, and Harborview Medical Center. She frequently participates in local area art festivals and activities at art museums such as Bellevue Arts Museum and Wing Luke Asian Museum. Richardson enjoys teaching classes and workshops to children and adults. She was recently a finalist for the Heritage Park Public Art Project and a Juror for the 57th Annual American Association of University Women Art Competition.

Icicle Arts Gallery is a program of Icicle Arts, North Central Washington’s arts alliance since 2004. To learn more, join as a member, and support the arts in North Central Washington, visit iciclearts.org or call (509) 548-2278. View Richardson’s artwork online at aprilrichardsonartist.com and Icicle Arts Gallery online at iciclearts.org/gallery.