We all have the ability to appreciate artworks for a number of reasons, including the scale of the product and the skill required in its fabrication. More often, we are taken by the monumentality and imposing presence of large paintings or sculptures. Even so, we can be equally mesmerized by the miniature, and awed at the dexterity required of the artist’s hand.
Robert Lange Studios has gone out on a limb with an intriguing new exhibition, “Little Big,” and it worked. The exhibition will feature the paintings of Adam Hall, who works in large scale, juxtaposed next to Megan Aline, who paints in miniature. Making the show even more compelling is the fact that both Aline and Hall draw largely from childhood experiences for inspiration, giving the paintings similar tones, moods, and feelings of nostalgia, despite their differences in size. Alongside one another, the paintings display a range of artistic abilities and serve as evidence that whether their works are large or small, proficient artists can always transport viewers into their creative world.
Megan Aline, “Find Stillness,” acrylic on canvas, 4 x 4 in. Robert Lange Studios
“I’ll Follow You” is a particularly beautiful painting by Hall. The simplicity of this seascape, with no discernible focus, invites a plethora of subjective interpretations. At 36 inches on each side, the size of the painting is anchoring and intimidating. Further, Hall’s use of high contrast and a diverse variety of blues, whites, blacks, and greens captivate the viewer.
It would take 81 of Aline’s paintings to fill the same space as Hall’s “I’ll Follow You,” but their impact is just as large. Working on 4 by 4-inch canvases, Aline only recently discovered her affinity for the small scale. “I love small brushes,” writes Aline. “I enjoy the act of moving a brush from one side of a canvas all the way to the other with one motion. Not only do I love the act of making a small piece, but there’s something very satisfying about being able to create works without the pressure of time.”
Michael Hall & Megan Aline, a conception of how the works will be displayed, Robert Lange Studios
Considering Aline’s “Find Stillness,” the artist’s amazing dexterity comes to the fore. Recalling the domestic scenes of the Dutch Golden Age, a beautiful arrangement of books, weights, a teapot, and an orchid rests on a wooden table next to a brightly illuminated window to the left. There is a calm and quietness in the piece, as each object seems to rest in its perfect place.
“Little Big” opens at Robert Lange Studios tomorrow, August 7, and will hang through August 28.
To learn more, visit Robert Lange Studios.
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