Galleries Web Exclusive

Abstract Expressionist Deanna Chilian

New Works by Deanna Chilian at London District Studios

By Teryn Worsham

Opening Friday, September 9 through October 11, London District Studios will host “Loving the Broken Pieces: Kintsugi as Metaphor,” an exhibition of paintings by abstract expressionist artist Deanna Chilian.

Born in New Jersey, Deanna had a career in law and spent time in Colorado before journeying to the Appalachians. She lives in Asheville and works as a professional artist and Pilates instructor.

“I believe we each have our own question that is also a fragment of a universal question. I paint as a means of visually exploring my connection to The Mystery,” says Deanna. “Making art requires a certain degree of risk, trust, and the courage to surrender, as does any relationship worth having.”

Working primarily in oil, Deanna finds inspiration in many places, from our natural environment to human movement. “The backdrop for most of my work is a soundscape: music and sound call to my unconscious and elicit a response from a place most fluent in visual language. My process is organic and improvisational; I rarely work from a sketch or preconceived image, and (usually) enjoy the surprises I encounter along the way.” She says she was drawn to abstract expressionism after seeing the work of some of the artists whose work came to be known as the New York School. After viewing the “Color as Field” exhibit at the Denver Art Museum in 2007 and the de Kooning retrospective at MoMA in 2011, she says she really began to feel the pull of an invisible hand telling her to come on!

Abstract Expressionist Deanna Chilian

“I began going crazy with color, first infusing it into quasi-abstracted landscapes I painted when I lived in Colorado,” says Deanna. “Then came steps into leaving behind material representation altogether, then more discernment and sophistication in my palette.”

“Loving the Broken Pieces: Kintsugi as Metaphor” will feature 15 original paintings available for purchase. There will be an opening reception on Friday, September 9, from 5–10 p.m.

London District Studios is located at 8 London Road in Asheville. For more information on the studios, visit londondistrictstudios.com. For more information on Deanna Chilian, visit www.deannachilianfineart.com.

Leave a Comment