Kathryn Markel Fine Arts is pleased to announce a new exhibition at her Bridgehampton Gallery, “Under Water Color” by Mike Solomon. The exhibition opens on May 30 and remains on view through June 21.
Through his masterly control of the watercolor medium and its color and surface, Solomon continues his investigation of light. Solomon has a long history in the East End, and these minimalist watercolors, which use transparent, softly colored horizontal and vertical marks on mulberry paper, create shimmering grids that capture the light and mystery of the Hampton’s landscape.
The grid has always been an essential structure in Solomon’s work, and the process is complicated. Solomon covers a page of rice paper with soft gridded watercolor marks, and then applies an epoxy that gives both the paper and the marks a translucent quality. He then adds another page, and another in an additive process, so each work consists of multiple overlapping rice papers, all containing a luminous glow. The result is both energetic and contemplative, deliberate and spontaneous. “Brother/Sister” is typical of these evocative paintings. The greens and blues are the sea and the land – the constantly changing reflection of water and dappled sunlight.
Kathryn Markel Fine Arts is located at 2416 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton, NY 11932. www.markelfinearts.com.