ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
ANGELA CRAVEN: SOLVING PROBLEMS COMES NATURALLY TO US AS HUMAN BEINGS. WE ARE INTENT ON FINDING MEANING IN LIFE. HOW DOES THAT RELATE TO LOOKING AT ART, PARTICULARLY ABSTRACT ART; ART THAT RELIES ON CONVEYING INTANGIBLE AND EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCES? INSPIRED BY THE RORSCHACH TEST, A PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST IN WHICH SUBJECTS’ INTERPRETATIONS OF INKBLOTS ARE ANALYZED, AND LOGOTHERAPY, A THEORY THAT THE PRIMARY HUMAN DRIVE IS THE PURSUIT OF WHAT WE FIND MEANINGFUL, THIS BOY OF WORK EXPLORES OUR INNATE NEED TO MIND MEANING IN ART AND LIFE.
DREW AUSTIN: AUSTIN’S WORK USES AN INTERDISCIPLINARY METHOD OF CREATION TO EXPLORE THE THINGS THAT WE OFTEN CANNOT SEE OR UNDERSTAND. HE USES ABSTRACTION AS A MEANS TO CREATE VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE COSMOS, QUANTUM EVENTS, AND BIOLOGICAL FORMS AS HE UNDERSTANDS THEM IN RELATION TO THE REST OF THE UNIVERSE. PORTRAYED PRIMARILY THROUGH DRAWINGS AND PAINTINGS, SCULPTURE, AND LIGHT-BASED INSTALLATION, AUSTIN’S WORK FUNCTIONS AS A CONDUIT FOR UNDERSTANDING AND COMPREHENSION OF EVERYDAY THINGS BOTH LARGE AND SMALL IN A HUMAN DOMINATED WORLD.
ANGELA CRAVEN AND DREW AUSTIN FEAT. GUEST CURATOR AND CREATIVE ENTREPRENEUR DEANNE GERTNER OF HEY HUE ART, BRING BOLD COLOR IN ABSTRACTION TO THE GALLERY. “BLOT” OPENED ON JUNE 28, 2019 FOR THE KICKOFF OF DOUBLESPACE’S 2019 POP UP EXHIBITION SERIES. THIS TIGHT SPACE WAS CLEVERLY ORGANIZED TO BRING OUT THE CHARACTER OF THE SPACE AT THE 12TH AND BANNOCK BLDG. IN DENVERS GOLDEN TRIANGLE CREATIVE DISTRICT. THE SPACE IS SMALL, BUT TALL, AND THE WORKS THEMSELVES A MINIATURE SCALE OF A LARGER COMPOSITION. THESE TWO LOCAL ABSTRACTION ARTISTS REALLY CAPTURE THE INTERPRETIVE NATURE OF THE WORD “BLOT,” BEING BOTH AN ACTION AND A NOUN.
“IT HAS BOTH NEGATIVE AND POSITIVE CONNOTATIONS. ITʼS SHIFTY, AMORPHOUS, A TRICKSTER,” – DEANNE GERTNER.
WITH ANGELA’S RORSCHACH PIECES, THERE IS A CEREBRAL INVESTIGATION TAKING PLACE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT AND WHY THESE IMAGES ARE IN EXISTENCE; DISGUISED AS SOMETHING AMBIGUOUS AND DECEITFUL IN NATURE. CRAVEN LIKES HER VIEWERS TO ENGAGE WITH THE WORK AND MAYBE EVEN LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT THEMSELVES IN THE PROCESS, CREATING A NARRATIVE THAT IS UNIQUELY THEIR OWN. ON THE OTHER HAND, DREW LIKES TO CATCH YOU STARING, WONDERING, QUESTIONING, EXAMINING EACH WORK INDEPENDENTLY FROM ONE ANOTHER. THERE IS NO STORY BUT RATHER REASON. MOTIONLESS YET FLUID BEST DESCRIBES AUSTIN’S WORKS “UNTITLED (PEEL)” AND “UNTITLED (SLUMP).” THE NATURE OF THESE WORKS ADDS AN ADDITIONAL DIMENSION THAT IS MORE SUBDUED. WHILE CRAVEN HAS CONVERSATION STARTER, CAPTURING THE AUDIENCE THROUGH WONDER, AUSTIN ENGAGES THE CONVERSATION THROUGH PROCESS AND SPONTANEOUS INTRICACIES WITHIN EXPLORATION.
If you like the works from this exhibition be sure to check out the artists instagram accounts @drew_austin4567 and @angelacravenart and check out what they have been up to lately. You can also CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE EXHIBITION PHOTOS.
STAY TUNED FOR JULY’S UPCOMING POP UP EXHIBITION PREVIEW AND BE SURE TO CHECK OUT ONE OF OUR OPENING RECEPTIONS ON THE FINAL FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH THROUGH NOVEMBER.
for additional information please contact info@dblspc.com
Photos by Matthew Pevear and Doublespace