NAWA's 134th Annual Members Exhibition

June 16 to July 1, 2023

  • oil on canvas 24 x 20 x .7" When I was little, I thought that all people and animals are friends. I still think, that we are all together on this Earth moving somewhere. In my painting I wanted to show the beauty and power of a rhino, and a human, who completely trusts his rhino companion. I created a night sky background, to emphasize two characters. The road, that they are taking is foggy and radiant, to maintain a mystical experience. This artwork is one of a kind. Made with high-quality professional oil paint on a gallery wrapped canvas. Painting is signed / dated on both front and back. Painted sides, unframed and ready to hang.

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  • intaglio/charcoal print on paper 21 x 21 x 1" Balance, from my Pair Series, was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci's ink drawing, Vitruvian Man, and my desire to include the other half of humanity into the conversation. In my intaglio/charcoal print, I add a female figure, to express the equality, and complementary nature of the sexes. While Leonardo's circle is implied, it is not shown but replaced by a star to symbolize the connection between everything in the Universe. FYI: It maybe of it interest to others that Leonardo had been inspired by the writings of Vitruvius, an ancient Roman architect.

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  • oil on gesso 24 x 18 x 1"

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  • mixed media 24 x 18" "Unheard" is a striking painting that features two female figures without faces on a bold red background. The absence of faces immediately draws the viewer's attention, emphasizing the idea that women's voices are often ignored and their identities are not fully represented in society. The red background adds to the intensity of the piece, conveying the passion and frustration felt by many women who are not listened to. The title "Unheard" encapsulates the central message of the painting - that women's voices are often silenced or disregarded, particularly those who identify with more traditional feminine roles. In a time where new identities and pronouns are celebrated.

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  • oil on canvas 28 x 22 x 1.5" My work is inspired by the vibrant colors of nature. I often use bright and rich colors in my paintings. I believe that inside every adult lives happy and carefree child and my idea is to enthuse the viewer desire for happiness and enjoyment.

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  • charcoal 28 x 18 x 1" I raced home after witnessing the total envelopment of a familiar coastline across Oyster Bay from West Neck Beach. I usually study from life for inspiration for my abstractions but this night I simply wanted to record and pay homage how uplifted and untethered I felt seeing hints of a familiar shore and knowing just where I was. I immediately made two pieces and this particular one bears mark like seagulls feet as we often see them in the sand but they (the marks) give the impression of waves softly crashing into the shore. The symbolic abstraction of the creatures who inhabit this place, being present in the marks was a surprise and a delight.

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  • photography/digitally enhanced 24 x 18 x .5" Inspiration for this art piece comes from the poetry of Lisa Hammond. Her poem, titled “Three Fish” is of three very different fish - a wood carving, a bream, and a necklace pendant. Her poetry speaks to the world of nature, which aligns with my wildlife photography. While still figurative, this is the first photo I have exhibited that is not a living, breathing subject. I purposely developed each fish at differing exposures to express their individuality.

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  • leather, silk, brass 14 x 8 x 22" Inspiration/intent: painting by Andes Zorn "Isabella Stewart Gardner in Venice", 1894. In the spirit of creative risk-taking, Isabella Gardner continues her mission by inspiring my sustainability project "Enigma of Footgear". I create 3-D works with outdated designer footwear, which can be perfect media for installations and sculptures with strong public statement or enigmatic silence. Enigma of Footgear is what grounds us, what connects us to the earth, and what carries us around. Isabella moves with grace and spontaneity: picks up her shoe, drapes with white silk and crowns with jewelry. She lets her swan out in the Fenway of Boston to swim in the Muddy River.

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  • ink and gouache 15 x 13.5 x 1.5" Art, like nature, reveals many delightful surprises, if we but stop and look.

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  • archival pigment print on Epson Hot Press Bright Paper 25.5 x 19.5 x .628" My camera gives me the ability to reveal to others the details I find in everyday subjects that often go unobserved. Exaggerated angles of view and juxtaposition of serendipitously placed elements combine with moody, sometimes dramatic light to leave the viewer with a sense of a presence unseen but felt. My photography is about hyper-focusing on the subject to solidify my own experience and provoke a memory to surface both for the viewer and me. The absence of color allows the viewer to become immersed in the place, mood and time depicted, but leaves room for personal interpretation and imagination as well. "The question is not what you look at, but what you see." - Henry David Thoreau

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  • oil on canvas 18 x 24 x 1" Although the viewpoint of this painting is at a slightly elevated angle, the title alludes to the need to consider the landscape from above, looking straight down. These are eyes that look at the human viewer askew but look up at the heavens with no distortion.

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  • collage / work on paper 20 x 16 x 1" Genji, in his poem, names the "murasaki" or purple gromwell, because its color resembles the colour of the wisteria (in Japanese, fuji) thereby obliquely referring to Fujitsubo, "the Lady of the Wisteria Court", a woman he is violently in love with for the first part of the novel. The Tale of Genji is a classic work of Japanese literature written in the early 11th century by the noblewoman and lady-in-waiting Murasaki Shikibu. The original manuscript, created around the peak of the Heian period, no longer exists.

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  • acrylic & found objects 12 x 26 x 5" The intent is to represent man and what is man pr0duce in contract to what is nature created. To show the beauty of both but also the distinction between them.

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  • acrylic on cradleboard 13.25 x 13.25" Color and experimentation are my muses. The materials for this piece—principally palette skins with complementary abstractions—require a process of trial and error. A strong design is central to success! Anxiety caused by traversing real and imagined worlds is the burden of my process. Serendipity, its gift!

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  • oil on paper 30 x 22" Working in oil-based inks with handmade paper plates and an etching press, I created this monotype by passing the print through several iterations until I achieved the final image. When choosing a title, I read a lot of poetry while looking at the print. The selection, Music of the Spheres, is the title of a poem by Robert Morgan.

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  • stone 20 x 9 x 9" Bodhisattva embodies two defining aspects of my life. It reflects my earlier interest as a Buddhist scholar and my concern for the environment in our global effort to recycle and reuse unwanted materials. The piece is made out of an old building stone discarded during renovation and other salvaged items from Community Forklift, a non-profit reuse center in the DC area. Vowing to promote spiritual awakening and save all beings, the bodhisattva aspires to enlightenment for the good of others.

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  • brown bags, handmade paper & acrylic on canvas 17 x 21" I am taken aback by the beauty and intangible qualities of natural flora, the various textures, the amazing flowers and fruits and foliage, and most of all, the spectacular rejuvenation after what appears to be a most definite death in the bleakness of a cold dark winter. My artwork is made from simple materials and feature a pioneering collage application of acrylic paint, brown paper shopping bags and canvas. Inspired by nature’s beauty, my interest in this medium relates to the cycle of life and nature. The bags start out as trees, are made into paper bags, which I recycle, paint, tear, and collage into the image of the natural world which provided the original inspiration and energy.

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  • acrylic on wood panel 24 x 20 x 1.5" This painting was started experimentally by dripping paint and slashing through it to create decorative vines. A landscape was painted around these vines, and the painting was shown with this image. Later, I decided to weave more vines over the landscape, The weaving forms a thick veil through which the original landscape can be viewed, like a memory or mysterious fantasy.

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  • digital print, pastel, and crayon 11 x 8 x 1"

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  • acrylic 21.75 x 17.75 x 1" Sitting on the river bank on a sunny day, I tried to capture the movement of the river flowing over the rocks.

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  • soft pastel 12 x 12" I love capturing the essence of life with my art. Using distinctive coloring technique and imaginative approach, I depict the subtle lights, reflections and hidden hues on the subjects. The subjects are either close to my heart, telling a story, or from a memorable moment. Apple in Winter is a concept born in the middle of winter. I was drawn to the beauty of tree trunk in the snow. I was also craving the vibrant colors of spring. Being an Irish fiddler, I remembered there is a traditional tune called "Apple in Winter". Then the idea of the painting was formed. It's based on my reference photos.

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  • watercolor 10 x 8 x .75" Sometimes I have a specific idea for a painting before I begin and sometimes I do not. "Night Whisper" is one where I had no idea when I began where it would end up. This rather surreal watercolor took off on its own. I had no idea the column with the creepy plant-like thing would become the focus of this painting. I also had not planned for daylight to appear in the darkness until I began to paint. My art is always an adventure even for me and I hope is enjoyed.

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  • acrylic on canvas 12 x 12 x 2" This painting is one of a series of 26 works that use the language of color, light and form to the boundaries between art and science and explore a holistic vision of the world. As both the daughter of a scientist and the mother of a scientist, I find the nexus art and science suggests possibilities of hope for protecting natural world. The painting teems with life and the beginnings of life: pods, whirlybirds from maple trees, and cells, interspersed with all manner of mark-making, including circles made of hatch-marks, wandering lines, spirals, and other symbols that reference prehistoric petroglyphs.

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  • acrylic on linen 30 x 24" The Garden is inspired by spring and regrowth. I have used a variety of acrylic mediums from ink, bronze powder and acrylic paint to create a translucent, layered interpretation of the landscape coming to life.

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  • mm on rice paper mounted on wood panel 20 x 20" I am a mark maker. I use repeat marks to create my paintings. In the series I am currently working on I am using dots. I am interested in patterns and a surface that is rhythmical and modulating..

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  • oil on canvas 30 x 24" This painting is one of my new series of 18 portraits celebrating the LGBTQ community. As the mother of a son who identifies as Queer, as an American citizen and as a human being, I believe it is important to give a tribute of love to those too often ignored, discriminated against, at best misunderstood and at worst persecuted. Documenting this population’s personal stories and intimate dreams beyond their sometimes-non-conforming appearance or behaviors, is crucial to further their universal acceptance and enable them to live their lives openly and freely. Gary is a friend of a friend and he was very willing to let me paint his portrait.

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  • acrylic 21.5 x 27.5 x 1.25" This painting is from my earlier series of Still Life paintings. Having grown up on my parent's dairy farm surrounded by nature's beauty which included my Mom's flower garden with seemingly unending blossoms and her vegetable gardens. Mom's vegetables such as squash and cucumber had such sculptural leaves and gerbera daisy leaves remind me of them. This painting makes visual my growing up experience described above, made visual through integral connections of music, intuition, and meditations over many moments in time.

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  • colored pencil on illustration board 20 x 16" I am a female, I live in Texas. While the SpIris's are just a flower, they have spikes. The relentless drive by some, to control women's lives are exhaustingly still with us.

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  • photography digitally manipulated 12 x 15 x .8" "Ephemeral Waltz" is a photograph that captures the essence of fleeting beauty found in nature's blossoms. Using digital manipulation, I transformed an array of small azaleas into a single, ethereal flower with gracefully outstretched petals. The dreamy white color of the flower contrasts against the serene pale blue background, creating an evocative and harmonious composition. This artwork offers viewers a chance to immerse themselves in the enchanting dance of delicate petals and appreciate the transient, magical moments that nature provides.

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  • ink on wood, graphite on rice paper with gold, copper and silver foil 12 x 12 x 1.5" I find in inspirational to work with new and different materials as a figurative artist. I had many books of foil that my father had given me, and I thought it would be wonderful to incorporate them into a piece of art, while think of my father while doing so. Foil is difficult medium to use, and I wanted to feel that I was using it in a new way. I inked wood with Chinese ink to give depth and worked from there. I then worked graphite on Chinese paper to get the effect I wanted. I have 2 more work to make a series of 3.

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  • pastel 22 x 28.5 x 1" When someone looks at one of my portraits, I want them to feel that I have given them a window into the soul of the sitter. Creating a portrait is a challenge; in addition to the structural aspects of the face, there is the indefinable quality that he or she possesses that I hope to capture in my work.

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  • mixed media 12 x 12 x .5"

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  • oil on canvas 24 x 24 x 1.5" My world is best described as colorful and rhythmic. My paintings explore themes of the human condition, identity, and self-reflection, and this energetic piece strikes the balance between introspection and contemporary cultural influences. My work is process-oriented and this deeply layered, textured painting is inspired by my own memories and moments of love, joy, spirituality, conflict and resolution. I paint intuitively as I create with both reckless abandon and bold strokes that feel like an emergency and careful restraint and meticulous, purposeful marks. I love sharing the intent behind each piece but am most interested in what my work evokes for the viewer.

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  • clay, paints and stains 11.5 x 12 x 11" How do we care for our oceans and the animals that inhabit them? What makes one species more important than another? This sculpture is a gentle reminder of the amazing animals in our oceans and how we must care for the animals who have no voice.

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  • collage and acrylic paint 12 x 12" Ruth Bader Ginsburg blazed a trail for others to follow. Sonia Sotomayor, the first Spanish Supreme Court Justice and Elena Kagan followed in her footsteps. Now, Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first African American woman in the Supreme Court is following in her footsteps as well. This painting commemorates these milestones in our history.

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  • pastel/stonehenge paper 22 x 28" The sky is ever changing and because I spend a multitude of time at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean I am constantly inspired by the variations even from moment to moment. While, Red Sky, may seem an exaggeration, in reality it was a particularly magnificent and pervasive sunset that saturated not only the sky but everything under it, including the ocean with a deep red glow. A truly mystical moment.

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  • plexiglass/wood 12 x 12 x 2" Color and reflected light have long been my areas of interest. Creating abstract sculpture using Plexiglas offers a significant ability to produce work with unique colors. Each sculpture alters when viewed from different vantage points. My work explores the abstract interaction of individual colors overlapped or set next to each other to produce a variety of tones and hues. The composite of all the individual components creates a distinctive visual statement. The sculptures are sensitive and meditative. They celebratory and joyful.

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  • mixed 17 x 14" My Aunt May loved butterflies and asked me to create a collage for her with butterflies. When I finished this piece she inspired I could not part with it. I created another collage for her, which she cherished. I kept this one. My aunt passed away a number of years ago and in her memory I would like to share this collage with you and, I hope, have it find a new and welcome home.

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  • oil on linen 30 x 30" In the work titled 'Chapter One' a young child faces a group of animals. As I painted the colors became brighter and the subject matter representational rather than exacting. In the end I saw this to be a bit of an autobiographical piece as most of my work is. However, the narrative is open to interpretation.

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  • oil on canvas with metal weights and angle bars 24 x 14 x 2.5" The figure walks with purpose through the storminess of life knowing that she is stronger for it. The gold and blue colors speak to a better day. Metal wires and weights wrap her environment in a manmade structure that reflects burdens and barriers by which her spirit will not be held captive.

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  • bronze with patina 17 x 22 x 20" Traces of our human existence is reflected in the shadows.

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  • acrylic on canvas 9 x 11 x .5" This is one of a series of small paintings exploring the light and impact of Sunshine and Moonbeams in the South Florida Everglades, particularly in the Fakahatchee State Preserve. Each scene is abstracted, and a similar palette was used to give unity to the series with the goal of having each painting able to stand on its own.

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  • watercolor 18 x 25 x 1" "Watercolor Works" explore the relationship between nature and the built environment. Watercolor has been a favorite medium of Architects, prior to the advent of photography, and now as a means of recording the topology of places [i.e., the topographic study of a given place, especially the history of a region]. As an Architect and Urban Designer, Mary Elizabeth Rusz continues in this tradition, Her paintings explore the “genius loci” – the essential quality or special nature of each selected place. Ms. Rusz is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a Resident Artist of the Salmagundi Club of New York, and a NAWA Signature Member since 2012.

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  • oil on garments mounted to board 20 x 16 x 2" I create canvases of deconstructed garments that I enrich with paint application. My works regard the dressing table in metaphor reflecting qualities of the feminine, aspects of womanhood, and identity. This piece is from a series of vignettes about the depth of emotions a female may experience reflecting in the mirror; thoughts she may have about life. Addressing the vanity as a place where one creates one-self; a study of women’s practices acts as an investigation into self and personality. Often appearing as stage-sets, vanities become theatrical platforms to speak to the evolution of femininity and the way we tear ourselves to live within what is socially accepted as feminine.

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  • oil on canvas 30 x 24 x 1.5" My current interest is in the expression of emotional reactions to my environment -- the context of my experience of events or ideas. My vision of the world is pared down to its essence and the abstractions that emerge in this series inform my own understanding of the way in which I encounter the world. My personal milieu and my engagement within it form an organizing framework for explorations of evocative anecdotes – suggestions of being in a particular place and in a particular state of mind.

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  • watercolor 13 x 17 x 1" During the Pandemic, I spent quite some time sketching my houseplants! I then abstracted the forms to achieve this painting. I like to use watercolor in a non-traditional sense-emphasizing the use of color.

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  • watercolor, pencil 15 x 18"

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  • photography 14 x 11" In my art work, I capture the simple beauty in the natural environment, providing moments of serenity. I use water and light as beautiful threads that draw the eye in. The quality of light is of paramount importance, defining the textures and forms in nature, and patterns of light and shadow. After several overcast days on Amelia Island, the sun finally burst out for a beautiful sunset. I then rushed out to capture this particular image in the enchanting light about a half hour before sunset. I printed the image using the platinum/palladium printing process to capture a softer, painterly effect, evoking late 19th century idyllic landscapes and lending a poetic quality to the image.

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  • watercolor 25 x 20" The Library Lion in front of the 42nd street Library is cherished New York Icon. I have admired it since I was a little girl and could not wait to paint the image.

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  • cut canvas, acrylic, collage mounted on panel 29 x 17 x 2" My Off the Wall series are experimental, dimensional, sculptural works that hang on the wall. These pieces reflect my aim to breakaway from traditional 2D canvas and paper surfaces. I like to "destroy" or "violate" these traditional surfaces in order to discover new working platforms that stimulate my way of seeing and interacting with each unexpected outcome.

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