April 2- May 17, 2016

Press Release:

“Graphic Tales of Elegance”, is a two-person exhibit, focused on the graphically charged work of Michele Kishita and Eliza Stamps and their unique approaches to painting and drawing, respectively.

The Drawing Room Art Gallery’s upcoming exhibition, “Graphic Tales of Elegance”, is a two-person exhibit, focused on the graphically charged work of Michele Kishita and Eliza Stamps and their unique approaches to painting and drawing, respectively. This exhibition opens April 2 and runs until May 17, 2016.

Inspired by both Milton Avery’s serene landscapes and Katsushika Hokusai’s depictions of water, Michele Kishita’s vibrant paintings are striking works in which the paint itself visually interacts with the whorl of the grain visible on the wood panels she paints upon. Her choice of medium is indicative of the message she looks to convey: She’s inspired by how nature and man-made forms interact. Her careful orchestration of color, shape and composition, which are suggestive of landscapes, display this dialogue. She states, “By drawing correlations between the wood grain of my panels and the water that created it, I delineate the fluid resonances inherent in these seemingly disparate elements.” These visually striking works cause one to sense fond memories of a landscape once removed, and relish in the lively color palettes which could only be culled from an artist’s mind.

Kishita is a visual artist based in Philadelphia and Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of the Arts.

Eliza Stamps’ spellbinding drawings are void of color entirely, and instead are meditations on the evocative quality of line itself. Her process of working slowly and methodically, involves working with a single line that delicately threads its way across the page, creating loops and extravagant journeys, which result in mesmerizing works of intricate detail. When contemplating the meaning of the work, she states, “I have long-winded treatises on sociologic and philosophical principles that underlay this work but the truth is, I don’t believe this is important. I would like the viewer to have their own discoveries, unfettered by grandiose explanations that may or may not be evident. Instead, I want to make bold assertions with a single chord that evoke ideas that I could never imagine.”

Eliza is an artist who works and lives in Brooklyn, NY, and her artistic practice ranges from drawing, sculpture and performance, all with an interest in facilitating experiences for the for the viewer that allow for introspection and discovery.

This event is free and open to the public.

The Drawing Room Art Gallery is open Tuesday- Saturday, 9am-5pm and is closed on Sundays & Mondays.