Trackside Studios closes only two days a year (Thanksgiving and Christmas), and the large windows overlooking the namesake train tracks let in lots of splendid light — furthering the feel that this River Arts District venue is always open.
The work in the front gallery comprises special exhibits that change frequently, and beyond that, walking down the hall, one can inspect the work of more than 30 artists — mixed media, 3D work, and jewelry abound — and a few working studios.
This month, resident artist Lynn Stanley has curated a body of work that explores the outer edges of the color spectrum — i.e., the whites, the blacks, and the grays. “Pieces often form their own connections as they come together on the wall,” Stanley says. “Color converses with color, shape calls to shape, paths form and hint at new stories — which led me to wonder what kind of connections I would discover in a grouping with fewer differences in color. Would shapes and textures resonate more with each other?”
Dee Santorini is a painter and sculptor who focuses her work on the animals of the Serengeti, most notably — for this show — “the majestic zebra,” Santorini says. “I dedicate my Serengeti art to helping these endangered species survive humanity,” she adds.
Deb Anderson’s soulful assemblage sculpture is challenging and thought provoking. “‘Memoriae’ is my memorial to those who’ve lost their lives to COVID,” says Anderson, a nurse at the local VA hospital. “I have a fascination for gothic cemetery statues, and she is loosely based on that.”
Susanna Euston’s “Winter Lake View,” styled with Intentional Camera Movement, is imbued with the calm mystery that has made Euston’s abstract photographic work a regional favorite. Another photographer in the show, Steve Fulghum, is a retired physicist whose profession is reflected in his fascinating composed photograph “A Matter of Time.”
Augmented Reality technology adds interest to Jaime Byrd’s already popular landscape paintings. Meanwhile, taking it back to ancient times, Stanley exhibits a whimsical “Zen Cat” painting in a style heavily influenced by her immersive study of Chinese calligraphy. -Jolene Mechanic
The exhibition runs March 1-31. Trackside Studios, 375 Depot St., Asheville, River Arts District. tracksidestudios375.com. 828-545-2904.