The blue thread / one life, beautiful life
While perhaps invisible to the eye, there is an ethereal thread that ties our life's experiences together. For painter Eric Anfinson it is also one that runs through all the paint in his confident and solid new body of work to be presented from April 4th to April 25th at the Studios of Key West. Anfinson’s exhibition,“the blue thread—one life/beautiful life,” will feature more than twenty original oil on canvas paintings and a special installation for the opening reception on Friday evening, April 4, from 7-9 p.m.
“The blue thread is the path,” says Anfinson, “while one life/beautiful life is the intention of healing.”
Anfinson, who often weaves in dreams, myths and archetypes while at work at his canvas, also allows his subconscious to guide him. In between these two spaces of linear and non-linear process, the depth of chaos, difficulty and emotion reveal themselves through his paint.
It is in this process, he says, that the healing takes place—for himself, for the subjects, and quite possibly, he hopes, for the witness.
For the last several years, the former Lemonade Stand Art Studio artist has chosen women more often than not as his subject. And for a dignified reason.
“The feminine is a healing aspect, which I am so often drawn to. My greatest depth of healing is in discovering the feminine within myself. It’s what we all do,” he says. “We try to heal ourselves.”
“There’s nothing more gracious than someone offering themselves (to be painted),” he continues. “Both of you have the opportunity to be healed—through being vulnerable. It takes courage, for both the artist and the subject,to say, “Ok, here it is….”
In his fourth solo exhibition, Anfinson’s work offers a unique perspective of portraits—the “blue” image, which the painter refers to as “in the vapors,” and the full spectrum counterpart painting, offering the physical manifestation with life’s experiences. However we choose to interpret the work, one thing is certain: Anfinson’s paintings are more bold and beautiful than ever.
"As our organization moves into its second year, we hope to celebrate the extraordinary range of creative work going on in our community," says Eric Holowacz, director of The Studios. "Our campus and facilities exist to foster creative ideas, provoke cultural dialogue, and reveal bold artistic statements like Eric Anfinson's blue thread.
The opening reception promises to be a unique experience for all who attend. Guests will be asked to enter the back door of the Studios, where they will be greeted by the music of Karen Heins, who was commissioned to create a CD based on Anfinson’s new images.
Anfinson's exhibition will transform the main hall Armory space into a sort of “salon,” harkening back to the era of literary and philosophical gatherings of the 17th and 18th century. The opening reception on April 4 is heavily inspired by the notable literary salons of Paris, where the original “les bas-bleues” gathered. This nickname, blue stockings, continued to mean “intellectual woman” for the next 300 years.
"That ethereal blue thread lingers on in the form of a three-dimensional mixed-media installation," explains Anfinson, "That aims to enhance the paintings and create a deeper sense of intimacy and the essence of a giant womb."
For those unable to make the Friday opening, the special installation will be part of the closing reception as well on Thursday, April 17 from 6-9 p.m., during The Studios of Key West’s monthly Walk on White event.
For more information about cultural events and opportunities at The Studios of Key West, please visit the website, www.tskw.org, or contact Holowacz at 296-0458.
