The paintings in this exhibit are the collaborations and exchanges of three local female artists – Joan Anderson, Mary Ellen Andrews, and Sheri Balke. The three have come together in a pursuit that has taken them away from the formality of realism in lieu of gesture and abstract expression. Their work embodies strong emotions, inherent in the use of vibrant colors. The vast array of mediums used are married with seamless precision. The work is fun, passionate, and charged with transcendent meaning.

Andrews states, “In some cases, we collaborated on the artwork itself; a work shaped by over-paintings, slashes, lines, and curves. We did a “frag” exchange resulting in layered fragmentations of handmade papers, old magazines, and canvas. We exposed our artistic vulnerability on a wailing wall – a wall of risk-taking, of spontaneous experimentations and investigations. In all cases, we struggled, laughed, shared ideas, and pushed our creative limits.

Art is an expression of the individual artist. Three voices in that expression presented us with an opportunity to stretch our imagination, allowing shapes to emerge in unexpected combinations. We three women came together for the common purpose of collaborating on a project about which we are passionate. We came to depend and rely on the skills of each other.

In this exhibit we have collaborative, semi-collaborative, and individual paintings in mixed media, oil and cold wax, acrylic, and collage."