White Harvest. John 4:35. Molly Courcelle, artist
Painter Molly Courcelle presents her latest body of work in the exhibit Reflect, on display in The Spotlight Gallery on the second floor of Wedge Studios in Asheville’s River Arts District. The show opens Friday, April 1, and runs through Saturday, April 30.
“I have been using a lot of gold leaf in my recent oil paintings and will be featuring these pieces,” says Courcelle. “They are abstracts in a variety of sizes that are either non-objective in nature or referencing a landscape.”
Courcelle’s use of gold paint several years ago eventually led her to try gold leaf. She especially loves its effect on the smooth surface of wood panels, which she has begun using more frequently. While it is possible to be highly controlled with gold leaf, the material is inexact, a quality that Courcelle loves. “As my work has always been more spontaneous than planned, the effect of the gold on the surface is usually quite a surprise,” she says.
While her past work was often inspired by plants and flowers, the non-objective and landscape-inspired pieces in Reflect are a result of an evolving technique. She begins by making marks to divide the surface of the canvas or wood panel, then adds different colors on either side of those marks. Her first pieces in this style had the look of garland or vines with color above and white below. As she experimented with colors, she found that the blues and grays felt like sky and clouds.
“As I began to push these pieces more they started to resemble landscapes,” says Courcelle. “While some are more literal, with an obvious horizon line or the appearance of a mountain range, others are more abstracted and minimal.”
Viewers are often drawn to her work for its simplicity and ethereal quality that is in keeping with the scripture-inspired titles given. The naming process, which begins once a piece is near completion, can be related to something literal, such as a lake or mountain that brings to mind Psalm 23, or a feeling like the joyfulness mentioned in Psalm 16.
“ I was immediately attracted to the color palette and abstract style of Molly’s work, but I was really captivated by her inspiration for each piece,” says Provisions Mercantile purveyor Heather Wright. “She uses simple mediums to create masterpieces that feel almost untouchable, even though she is the most approachable person, and embodies the scripture message of love and grace.”
The Wedge Studios’ Spotlight Gallery is located at 129 Roberts Street, in Asheville. Learn more at WedgeStudioArtists.com and MollyCourcelle.com.
