Foraging the Landscape

Since moving to Asheville by way of Michigan 11 years ago, multidisciplinary artist Alissa Mellis-Gruba has spent every possible moment capturing the region. Her work ranges from impressionistic renderings of Eagle Rock, a 3,400-foot summit tucked in Hickory Nut Gorge, to verdant abstractions of the French Broad River Valley. “I’m drawn to the vast details within natural environments, and at the same time, portraying the sense of calm that develops when countless details meld into a singular landscape,” says Mellis-Gruba. This October, she will present a curated collection of nature-centric pieces at the Spotlight Gallery at Wedge Studios during her solo show, Foraging the Landscape. Much of the collection consists of monotypes — Mellis-Gruba’s latest obsession. “In this process, a painting is created on a smooth surface, then transferred to paper with a press,” she explains. “The brushwork, the linework, the colors — all elements meld together under the pressure of the press.” The final image, she says, tightropes the line between a traditional oil painting and a “stamp of a moment.” The artist’s show runs through the end of October.