hidell brooks is super excited to open exhibitions for two southern artists john folsom and kiki slaughter on view through the end of october. recent landscape paintings by john folsom are part of an ongoing series of landscapes based on the southern coastal areas of georgia and the carolinas. photographic images are captured and rearticulated using digital and wet media. this approach creates a remove from standard photographic practices and aims to trigger the untapped qualia of the viewer. by accessing the viewers personal experience these landscapes find their geographical place and are called into a more defined state of being. kiki slaughter’s abstract paintings are an experiment with the fundamental process of painting. kiki paints in the moment; intuitively pouring, scraping and layering colors to create expressive compositions. she finds inspiration in the very act of painting and also draws elements from the world around her, especially nature. both artists are focused on evoking feelings by transcending the viewer through emotional interaction.
john folsom is a mixed media artist who received his bachelor of fine arts in cinema and photography from southern illinois university. his work demonstrates the narrative potential of images through the intersection of painting and photography. the process involved with creating john folsom's work has many stages. he first travels and documents the landscape with his digital camera and works with the image utilizing photographic software. then the image is broken into a grid and each tile is printed individually being assembled like a giant jigsaw puzzle adhered to a wooden support. folsom then paints on the surface of the photographic paper using traditional oils and seals the piece with a wax medium.
my recent works are a continuing series of manipulated photographs documenting the southern coast. this work arrives at the intersection of painting and photography, moving the images into the realm of high romanticism while triggering the viewer’s personal experience.
-john folsom
kiki slaughter grew up in charlottesville, va and studied painting at the university of virginia. she pours, scrapes, layers and otherwise manipulates paint on the canvas to create works that are rich in both color and texture. kiki is also very inspired by her visual surroundings. she strives to interpret and record her impressions of the world around her through her use of color and texture. although her works are entirely abstract, each piece maintains subtle characteristics from its source of inspiration. in 2012 she was named a southern tastemaker by garden & gun magazine.
i strive to create art that has immense feeling and depth; emoting through layers of color and texture. the biggest compliment is when clients say that my paintings make them feel a certain way. i hope this collection, “all the feelings” from “cheeky” to “curious” does just that.
-kiki slaughter
all available work by jjohn folsom + kiki slaughter can be viewed on our website under their individual artist tab including sizing + pricing. hidell brooks gallery is by appointment only. please call the gallery if you have any further questions.