February Issue 2001
Cameo Fine Art in Columbia, SC, Presents Solo Exhibit of Work by Elena Madden
Unexpected Discoveries of Nature is an exhibition of recent oil paintings by Elena
Madden, which will be on view in the main gallery of Cameo Fine
Art, located in the Historic Congaree Vista of Columbia, SC, from
Feb. 27 through Mar. 12.
Madden is a graduate from the Savannah College of Art and Design,
Savannah, GA, where she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.
She has had an abundance of shows throughout the southeast and
has won such prestigious awards from "Frances Larkin McCommon"
and the "Gold Key Art Award" presented by the Scholastic
Art Award. Of her most recent showing, Madden participated in
the 2000 Juried Alumni Ex Libris Gallery in Savannah, GA, where
she placed Best in Show.
Unexpected Discoveries of Nature emerged from experiences of traveling and prospering in the southeast. Madden's intimate body of work evolves from a fascination with the obscurities of nature and an affinity for organic images. In preparation for these serendipitous paintings, small sketches were created from life to use as a guide to transform into larger paintings. After the initial under painting of the piece, it became purely intuitive and progressed to Madden's own interpretation and modifications of nature.
Elements of fog, darkness, reflection and shadow are the preeminent apparatus to Madden's paintings. She manipulates color and juxtaposes her imagery on the canvas leaving some of them to be very abstracted while others personify a much "larger than life" perspective. Madden has been studying and painting coastal life, trees, vegetation and the seasonal changes they encompass for years and her work keeps progressing with time and experience. This series has inspired her to search deeper for abstractions in nature and in doing so she is finding all the wonderful unexpected discoveries nature has to offer.
In conjunction with Madden's paintings, the work of an artist very close to Elena's heart, her father, Robert Madden will have a few metal sculptures on view. His sculptures are unique and whimsical which play off of his daughter's work. He's been a prospering artist most of his life and serves as one of the outside forces for the artistic creativity of his daughter. His work is truly exceptional of its kind and it is a pleasure to have both Elena and her father on showcase at Cameo Fine Art.
For further information check our SC Commercial
Gallery listings or call the gallery at 803/799-8869.
Mailing Address: Carolina Arts, P.O. Drawer
427, Bonneau, SC 29431
Telephone, Answering Machine and FAX: 843/825-3408
E-Mail: carolinart@aol.com
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Carolina Arts
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