Origin Exhibition Opens May 5 at The Studios

From May 5-26, artist Alaina Plowdrey presents Origin, a solo exhibition in the Sanger Gallery at The Studios of Key West. The public is invited to an opening reception at The Studios, 533 Eaton Street on Thursday, May 5 from 6-8pm.

Much like life, the paintings of Origin, artist Alaina Plowdrey’s most recent exhibition, begin in the water. In Plowdrey’s elegant, erotically charged work, the ocean is a vital presence; the interplay between land and sea becomes a dance of procreation, with the female figure standing in as Venus. Plowdrey’s paintings shimmer with vivid explorations of the female form — bodies, adorned with gold leaf and gossamer — tumble, dance, and float through sea and space.

Rendered with sumptuous fullness and depth, Plowdrey’s female subjects take center stage. But what’s hidden, and what is implied in the work, is equally relevant. Plowdrey’s paintings hint at the importance of what isn’t seen as much as what is, inviting the viewer to participate in the work.

The unseen elements of “Origin” present an opportunity to look deeper. The eyes of an exquisitely detailed figure remain closed, or stare off into the distance. In other paintings, faces are camouflaged by veils, and a subject’s body emerges from the same water in which its head is fully submerged.

“I wanted to make room for the audience to bring their personal journeys into this exhibition, so I tried to create a dreamlike, sensuous landscape as a place to start,” says Plowdrey, “I like to leave something to the imagination, to make room for a dialogue between the viewer and what’s viewed.”

Origin is sponsored in part by the Anne McKee Grant and includes a video installation of photographs taken by Plowdrey of the Florida Keys landscapes that inspired her work.

Alaina Plowdrey received her AFA from Delta College (2006), BFA from the College for Creative Studies (2009) and MFA from the New York Academy of Art (2011). After attaining her master’s degree she taught in NYC and then as an adjunct professor in numerous colleges throughout Michigan. She now resides in Key West, FL working as a professional studio artist and professor.

Origin is sponsored by Isle Style Salon & Boutique and opens Thursday, May 5 from 6-8pm at The Studios of Key West, 533 Eaton Street. The exhibition remains on view through May 26.

Credit: Paintings by Alaina Plowdrey