Many individuals with creative minds seek New York City, while others embark on journeys far beyond the city limits. One accomplished painter spent 2016 away from Manhattan, using the time for exploration and self-discovery. The results currently hang here.
A classically trained painter working in the Hudson River School tradition, Emilie Lee uses drawing, note-taking, and plein air sketching to create beautiful large-scale paintings that “are a distillation of time, memory, and close observation of the natural world,” she suggests.
On view February 1 through February 17, “After New York” is a fascinating look into Lee’s journey outside New York in 2016, when the artist traveled from Maine to California and Costa Rica. Located at New York’s Dacia Gallery, “After New York” features approximately 16 paintings produced without the use of photography — a break from the artist’s normal process. “I chose this limitation so I can be completely present with the dynamic, living qualities of my subject,” Lee says, “and embrace the unpredictable results that occur during the painting process. When I’m painting in nature, absorbed in the intricacies of light and color, I feel bursting with gratitude for the perfection of life and the fun of painting. Of course, I am usually alone in the woods when this occurs, so it is my sincere pleasure to share this work with you now.”
To learn more, visit Dacia Gallery.
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