The Speer Gallery is located in the main building of the Shipley Upper School, 814 Yarrow Street in Bryn Mawr. The gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information call (610) 525-4300.

ARTIST’S STATEMENT
Almost every day, I run before I go to work and I am struck by something that I see. I really love color. I continuously try to represent the way colors are always making an impact on me. For instance, while passing under an arch of yellow leaves I am bathed in a warm glow that is just so glorious–—I want to share that experience in my work. I am fascinated by slight variations of light. I am intrigued by very basic and simple things that surround me. I don’t think one has to go very far to find beauty. Sometimes it is the random pattern of fallen leaves on a path that makes an imprint. At other times I am lured by the cracking of the asphalt in the street. I look at the patterns of smooth stones in the sidewalk and the way the pine needles are lying on the ground to create intricate line designs. I am always aware of the light. Is it dull and flat in a way that is almost closing in the space? Is it sharp and contrasting in a way that almost takes your breath away following a late afternoon storm? These visions are the building blocks of my art work.

The work in this exhibit comprises several areas of exploration and spans a time period from 1990 until the present. I am choosing to show pieces that illustrate the progression in my career and the development of my visual expression.

The two earliest drawings are examples of a style which was unique to me. Their dreamlike quality with floating imagery and sensual color fields creates a whimsical world in which to fantasize and lose oneself. They encourage the viewer to sit back and enjoy the rich colors and illusive images.

Because I work in a very loose and expressionist manner, I find it always necessary to make changes in the way I make my artwork. After a certain amount of time I find that what once gave me pleasure and excitement becomes dull and too predictable; that becomes the signal that it is time for me to change directions. There is usually a period of much experimentation which ultimately leads me to another set of visual problems and a new and exciting direction to pursue.

The next body of work that I am showing here is comprised of “The Women.” In these pieces I am definitely dealing with issues of pure color, line, and space and how I get these “formal” concepts to balance. They are also metaphors for life in that they reflect the balance between planning and organization and unplanned interruptions into our lives. All of the pieces in this series have different personalities that reflect their names! 

The last group that is on exhibit here is from my most recent body of work. It includes both pastel drawings on paper and oil paintings on steel. These works are based on chaos theory—how ultimately order can be created out of seemingly random and chaotic elements. They also seek to show a visual representation of multi-tasking and our ability to take in many disparate images all at the same time. There is a density to these works, yet I still am enamored by beautiful color and its effect on our psyche.

More about Val Rossman can found on her website.

November 11, 2005