Fine Line exhibit exploring ‘Contemporary Colors’ opens Feb. 1

A new exhibit, “Contemporary Colors,” opens Thursday, Feb. 1, at Fine Line Creative Arts Center’s Kavanagh Gallery in St. Charles.

As you will have guessed, this show is all about color. Art from 48 artists across the country will be on display. The exhibition includes paintings, photographs, wall quilts, pottery, and beadwork pieces.

Nick Schroeder has shown at the Kavanagh Gallery a few times now and has two pieces in “Contemporary Colors.” The Wisconsin artist loves to use color in a way that he hopes draws people into his work. His color choices often reference other artists’ use of shapes and color, as in his piece “A Letter to Jasper Johns.” His second piece, “A Solar System,” is a bit of fun playing with colors and stained glass to see how they interact.

Brian Lathan is showing at the Kavanagh for the first time. The Missouri artist is inspired by the mundane moments of existence, sometimes celebrating the everyday by making it monumental. Lathan says his work explores human experience. Utilizing fantasy elements, Lathan takes observation-based narratives and adds magical realism. His art displays painful, contemporary realities under the guise of alluring mythological tales. Lathan has two screenprints in the show, one of which “And I Said to Myself,” explores how we feed our internal selves and neglect ourselves.

Laura Wasilowski is an Elgin artist who has a piece called “Painting the Town #2” in the show. She combines vivid colors and whimsical stories to make pictorial art quilts and says that creating art quilts improvisationally gives her the freedom to express herself.

Wisconsin artist Denise Presnell loves working in color to create intuitive, abstract oil and cold wax paintings. Her piece, “Dredging Up Memories,” is an oil and cold wax piece full of layered colors.

Join Fine Line staff, volunteers, and some of the artists at the opening reception on Thursday, Feb. 1, from 6 to 8 p.m. It’s an opportunity to meet and hear from some of the artists whose work will be on display.

All gallery receptions at the Kavanagh Gallery are free to attend. Light refreshments will be served during the evening.

“Contemporary Colors” opens on Feb. 1 and runs until March 15. There is never a fee to view any of the Kavanagh Gallery shows at the Fine Line Creative Arts Center, 37W570 Bolcum Road in St Charles. For information, visit www.fineline.org.