ELIZABETH GAHAN
Artist Statement
Elizabeth Gahan is interested in using art to explore the world we live in today. Working from photos of real places, the imagery is embellished with a combination of saturated colors, delicate line-work, ephemeral transparencies, and robust gel applications to represent a contemporary view. Gahan explores the impact of architecture, urban planning, art, technology, and popular culture in shaping our everyday experiences and environmental surroundings. Gahan considers relationships between nature and built environments, public space and private experience, architecture and advertising, organic and synthetic forms, as well as local and global connections.
"On Second Thought" is focused on portraying a sense of place that is local and specific to Los Angeles. Gahan, originally from Southern California, now lives in Seattle. In preparation for this body of work, she returned to Los Angeles to revisit places with a personal connection, as well as explore how the city has changed. At a time when many urban centers in the country, including Los Angeles, are experiencing significant urban development, Gahan chose to capture a sense of place that transcends recent alteration. Gahan selected locations and images with details that reflect a character, charm, humor, light and color that is unique to Los Angeles. Despite rapid change and growth, an intrinsic essence of the city remains, visible and unmistakably Los Angeles.
The artist was especially aware of her personal perspective as she selected locations to photograph and paint for this show. As time passes, it can become easy to overlook the details and assets of one's surroundings, but returning after time away can heighten one's experience. With this in mind, these paintings both reflect the Los Angeles of Gahan's memory, like the charming neighborhood bungalow homes and quirky Venice beach canals, as well as the Los Angeles she had overlooked, like the beautiful Art Deco buildings of downtown or the understated low-lying 70's buildings now repurposed as cool cafes and tattoo parlors.
Apart from her Los Angeles-centered approach to this show, Gahan continues to employ painting techniques intrinsic to her style and broader themes. Gahan portrays the contemporary world as a continually shifting landscape in which natural and built environments interact in beautiful, yet complex and potentially conflicting ways. Natural and artificial environments are portrayed as extensions of one another, with no indication of any truly "natural" state, which reflects the idea that all landscapes are to some degree altered or impacted by human existence. The use of fluid floating backgrounds creates a sense of movement, while contrasting areas of opacity and transparency imply impermanence and instability. Additionally, the use of overly saturated color schemes signifies the hyper real aesthetic emblematic of our digital age. The combined effect is a consistent message of change and transience, as well as human intervention in our natural and urban environment. Gahan’s work strives to balance beauty and inspiration with a critical consideration of our growing urban environments.
"On Second Thought" is focused on portraying a sense of place that is local and specific to Los Angeles. Gahan, originally from Southern California, now lives in Seattle. In preparation for this body of work, she returned to Los Angeles to revisit places with a personal connection, as well as explore how the city has changed. At a time when many urban centers in the country, including Los Angeles, are experiencing significant urban development, Gahan chose to capture a sense of place that transcends recent alteration. Gahan selected locations and images with details that reflect a character, charm, humor, light and color that is unique to Los Angeles. Despite rapid change and growth, an intrinsic essence of the city remains, visible and unmistakably Los Angeles.
The artist was especially aware of her personal perspective as she selected locations to photograph and paint for this show. As time passes, it can become easy to overlook the details and assets of one's surroundings, but returning after time away can heighten one's experience. With this in mind, these paintings both reflect the Los Angeles of Gahan's memory, like the charming neighborhood bungalow homes and quirky Venice beach canals, as well as the Los Angeles she had overlooked, like the beautiful Art Deco buildings of downtown or the understated low-lying 70's buildings now repurposed as cool cafes and tattoo parlors.
Apart from her Los Angeles-centered approach to this show, Gahan continues to employ painting techniques intrinsic to her style and broader themes. Gahan portrays the contemporary world as a continually shifting landscape in which natural and built environments interact in beautiful, yet complex and potentially conflicting ways. Natural and artificial environments are portrayed as extensions of one another, with no indication of any truly "natural" state, which reflects the idea that all landscapes are to some degree altered or impacted by human existence. The use of fluid floating backgrounds creates a sense of movement, while contrasting areas of opacity and transparency imply impermanence and instability. Additionally, the use of overly saturated color schemes signifies the hyper real aesthetic emblematic of our digital age. The combined effect is a consistent message of change and transience, as well as human intervention in our natural and urban environment. Gahan’s work strives to balance beauty and inspiration with a critical consideration of our growing urban environments.
Biography
Elizabeth R Gahan is a Seattle-based artist. She grew up in San Diego, CA. She received a dual undergraduate degree in Global Studies and Fine Art from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a masters degree in Fine Art from Claremont Graduate University with an emphasis in painting. Gahan then attended a residency program at the Banff Centre, Canada to pursue installation art. Her current art practice combines 2D studio art and 3D installation art. Gahan currently works from a space at Equinox Studios in Georgetown, Seattle.
In 2014 Gahan was selected and recognized in the Americans for the Arts 2014 Public Art Network Year in Review. Gahan has been awarded multiple fellowships, grants and public commissions including, but not limited to Artist Trust GAP Grant, City of Seattle 1% for Arts, Seattle City Artist Project Grant, Seattle Storefronts, Tacoma Spaceworks, and Seattle Art Interruptions.
In 2014 Gahan was selected and recognized in the Americans for the Arts 2014 Public Art Network Year in Review. Gahan has been awarded multiple fellowships, grants and public commissions including, but not limited to Artist Trust GAP Grant, City of Seattle 1% for Arts, Seattle City Artist Project Grant, Seattle Storefronts, Tacoma Spaceworks, and Seattle Art Interruptions.