Beyond Boundaries: Curator's Statement

He has described a circle upon the face of the waters
at the boundary of light and darkness.
     ~ Job 26:10

With this exhibition of nearly four dozen artworks, we welcome back to our gallery space Studio 10 Artists, a collaborative group of painters who regularly exhibit, by invitation, at St. Michael’s and elsewhere in Arlington. The group includes Elisabeth (Beth) Hudgins, Kathleen (Kat) Jamieson, Linda Maldonado, Elise Ritter, and Deborah Taylor.

“Beyond Boundaries” is the subject of this exhibition, which runs through June 20 and can be viewed in person in the Parish Hall, as well as online. Each of the artists narrows the scope to explore visually, and more fully, her thematic ideas and perspectives on physical, relational, cultural, social, moral, and personal boundaries that define, guide, and even protect us, not only where we live but also where we work and engage in creative activity and play. We can overcome our circumscribing boundaries only if we understand how they function in our lives.

Elisabeth Hudgins contributes 11 paintings on the theme “Breaking Through”; her work explores the physical, psychological, and metaphorical boundaries that hold us back or propel us forward in life.

Kat Jamieson offers 6 watercolors inspired by the theme “Horizon”; she has conceived her “earthscapes” with a particularly concerning issue in mind: climate change. It is a topic that challenges our moral principle of being God’s stewards of the earth.

Linda Maldonado reveals through 10 watermedia works how she attempts “Finding Form in Space Without Shape”; her paintings invite us to experience how our perceptions can give rise to the unexpected, showing us more than might be revealed on the surface.

Taking “Pausing at the Threshold” as her narrower theme, Elise Ritter, who is showing both acrylic paintings (6) and original, limited-edition photography (2), visualizes transformations across boundaries into the “thin spaces” between the physical and mystical worlds, both of which evoke for her a deep sense of wonder and awe, two aspects of Elise’s work that stand out in her landscapes and gilded paintings.

Deborah Taylor’s 14 oil paintings address the theme “Stretching Beyond.” Inspired by and titled with the first lines of haiku by Basho, Buson, Issa, Shaiki, and other Japanese poets of long ago, her paintings represent her personal artistic explorations beyond her customary realism and figuration into abstraction.

For those interested in a self-study or group discussion of boundaries, I have created two sets of related questions for the section titled “Questions to Ponder”: “Investigating Boundaries in the Artworks” and “Investigating Boundaries in the Bible.” I encourage visitors to read through these questions and keep them in mind while viewing the artworks.

Maureen Doallas
Curator
Leader, Arts & Faith Ministry