Kelly Williams, a Portland contemporary painter presents her latest solo exhibition, "Earth & Ash: Ireland," at the Portland'5 Gallery in the 2nd Floor Lobby of Antoinette Hatfield Hall (1111 SW Broadway Ave) from September 16 to September 30, 2024. Her painting practice is centered on combining unique materials, meaningful content, and an immersive process to create striking visual impact. The exhibition is open to the public on evenings when events are taking place as well as for attendees to experience the artwork before performances.
Join the artist for a special reception on Thursday, September 26, 2024, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. This is a unique opportunity to discuss the work with Kelly Williams and view a special selection of small works available for one night only.
"Earth & Ash: Ireland" explores the rich and storied landscapes of Ireland, focusing on the culturally and environmentally significant peatlands. Inspired by her residency in Listowel, Ireland, Kelly incorporates materials like peat ash, turf dust, and holy water from St. Brigid’s well into her abstract encaustic paintings. These elements weave a narrative that intertwines Ireland’s history with its pressing environmental challenges, highlighting the delicate balance between preservation and loss. Kelly's work not only forges a tangible connection to the land but also underscores the cultural significance of peat—a traditional fuel that has been central to Irish heritage for centuries.
This new series extends Kelly Williams’s ongoing exploration of environmental and cultural themes, building on her previous work that incorporated Pacific Northwest forest fire ash to address issues of environmental degradation. In "Earth & Ash: Ireland," Kelly shifts her focus to Ireland’s peatlands, using peat ash as a primary material. Both series share a parallel inquiry into how culturally significant landscapes are impacted by human activity and environmental change. By bridging the Pacific Northwest’s wildfire-scarred forests with Ireland’s threatened peatlands, the exhibition emphasizes shared concerns of loss, resilience, and preservation, urging viewers to reflect on the interconnectedness of these fragile environments and our role in safeguarding them.
The series draws from abstracted aerial views of the Irish landscape, capturing the tension between human impact and untouched spaces. Shades of gold underscore the cultural and environmental complexities of these limited resources, while the compositions reflect the lines of bog harvesting and sacred sites like standing stones. These abstract works balance themes of intervention and preservation, resulting in visually striking pieces that evoke a deep sense of place, history, and form, enriched by the physical materials brought back from Ireland. Despite the seriousness of these themes, the works are rich and luminous, with encaustic wax often dripping off the edges, emphasizing their dynamic, tactile physicality.
A very special thank you for the generous support of The Regional Arts and Culture Council through an Arts3C grant for making this project possible.
To learn more about Kelly and her work go to www.kellywilliamsart.com