Sunday, August 24, 2014

Two Views of Contemplation: An exhibit by Cathy Breslaw

Cathy Breslaw: Contemplation at the Gotthelf Art Gallery, San Diego Center for Jewish Culture, ( 4126 Executive Drive , La Jolla, 92037) Sept. 11 until Nov 26. The central installation, is based on the shofar, the ancient instrument created from a ram's horn that Jews have used for centuries. Breslaw takes seemingly ordinary materials that, because of their artistic transformation, transcend their original function. More info: Ann Telford 858.692.2351

As Cathy Breslaw is one of our Picked RAW Peeled bloggers, both Joe Nalven and Patricia Frischer went to see her exhibition,

Cathy Breslaw: Future Contemplations
by Patricia Frischer

I am writing an emotional reaction to the works of Cathy Breslaw at the Gotthelf Gallery. It is delightful to enter this room full of lovely colors and shapes, but certain works attracted me more  that others. There are large works with dark and light contrast and many obviously hand draw and hand crafted collaged elements. I find these works a bit confusing but they are obviously quest for some purpose. I am just not sure what. But those are contrasted with the much more pure net pieces with layers of hand gradient applied colors titled, for example, sunrise and sunset. If you get close to these works and block out all around you, you could get lost in them. If fact, I found myself wanting them to be huge and for the room to contain only four of them rather like the feeling you get when you are in a room of Rothko's paintings.  You could be engulfed and transported. These works truly could allow you to contemplate much the same way at looking at clouds allows your mind to roam. Works that are capable of allowing this type of experience are very special.  



I loved the relationship between the Shofar themed central work and the Jewish Community Center. The net veil records five words: Renew, Awaken, The Call, Reflect, Forgive. And there are miniature shofar symbols forming a circle at the base that reminds me of a maze walk which is used for meditation.  Again I found myself wanting this piece to be larger, to actually walk the spiral and even add layers of net where I could enter into the work. I think this piece has the possibility of being a whole series or an entire room filling installation.


I was also drawn to this work which has these odd shapes attached directly to the wall with delicate wires. They seem to be scurrying across the wall but do not seem to threatening like spiders, but instead some sort of leaf or figurative forms and they create lovely shadows and are more delicately colored than appears in this image. This  work was created in 2014
Cathy Breslaw has intellectual strength tempered with a love for a physical experience.
She is an artist to watch.

Contemplation: An exhibit by Cathy Breslaw
by Joe Nalven


How does an artist ─ working together with an art gallery ─ create an engaging exhibition? Many of us have participated in this experience, others have wondered about it. 

Cathy Breslaw's exhibit allows us to step inside her mindset:  Contemplation, an exhibit opening at the Gotthelf Art Gallery, San Diego Center for Jewish Culture. 

JN:  How did this exhibit come into being? I began to wonder about this question in looking at the imagery that will be in the exhibit as well as the connecting titles.

CB:  When I was asked to do this show, I was asked that it have some relationship to Judaism. This was new to me. I had not done religious-related work even though I am Jewish.

As I began to consider the show, i realized it takes place during the High Holy Days which are the most important religious Jewish holidays.  I am an observant Jew and my maternal grandfather was an Orthodox Rabbi (he died many years before I was born). These holidays are a time of prayer and reflection. Here was my contemplation as the central focus for the show. It is not a religious-based show, but the idea of contemplation as a thought process and a way to frame some ideas and work.

Cathy Breslaw / Sunset  (Nb. layers of industrial plastic mesh and spray paint}
I will have fourteen separate works in the show. The central installation themed piece is called: The Call of the Shofar:100 Sounds. I was inspired by the shofar, an ancient instrument made from a ram's horn which is blown on the High Holy Days. There are many interpretations but the one that speaks to me has to do with it as a call to wake up, to reflect on our lives, and to transform them.

I also found in my research that the shofar blows one hundred sounds on Rosh Hashana which is referred to the piece.

Cathy Breslaw / Above, Below and Beyond

There are other works in the show based on a large series i have done in the past few years called Atmosphere which are like color field painting where I am using industrial mesh layers with spray paint to create wall works that somehow create an atmosphere I feel from nature. 

I am always seeking to challenge myself in terms of materials and new or differing ways to communicate my thoughts and ideas. Materials themselves are a big motivator. I am drawn to simple, accessible materials rather than traditional art materials and ways of translating into art pieces.

JN:  How does this exhibit connect with your way of thinking about the world in other ways?

CB:  I think and read a lot about cosmology, philosophy, and have always been drawn to ideas about light and space. Installation work is a nice way of being able to create things in 3-D space without making them sculptural objects per se.

Cathy Breslaw /  Free Flow 8 (left); Free Flow 2 (right)
I approach my work with thoughtful intuition. I work from a place of honoring where i am at any point in time and finding materials that offer me an opportunity to express those thoughts and ideas. I have used industrial plastic mesh materials and fabric for several years as a central point because they express my thoughts about light, space and transparencies. It also comes from my thoughts about the temporal, fleeting and transience of life. I am often inspired by nature  sea, sky and wind, which are so much a part of my daily life. Running and biking are regular activities for me and part of daily life which also influence my concepts of space and moving through it.

I want viewers of my work to make their own interpretations  to react to what they see and feel and not so much be told about what I think the work is about. I believe art should be another experience of living daily life. I don't want to direct viewers to a specific idea I am imparting. For me to create work, I am informing myself about my experience of the world but in no way do I want to direct others.

 




Exhibition:   Contemplation

Gotthelf Art Gallery
San Diego Center for Jewish Culture
Jacobs Family Campus
4126 Executive Drive
La Jolla, California 92037
Tel. 858.457.3030

September 11 – November 26
Hours:  9 am to 5 pm (daily except for Saturdays & holidays)


Views from the installed exhibit:



Spirit Moves / Wall installation piece made with paper, wire and paint.  Ideas of the temporal and fragile nature of life, movement and reflections of the pieces of shadows on the wall lending more of a sculptural quality to the installation. The pieces are each literally hanging from a "wire" from the wall.

Installation photograph of several works:  large round piece on left is Metamorphosis, 8' in diameter, mixed media - mesh, tyvek, paint, piece dealing with the ephemerality/ fragility of life. Central Installation (yellow) The Call of the Shofar: 100 Sounds. talks about the Jewish high holidays and idea of the shofar as a call to awaken, reflect, renew.  Seven pieces along the right are industrial mesh, spray paint works that each have several layers, referencing color field painting in overall atmosphere dictated by color and emotion.

From Cathy Breslaw's artist statement: 


The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines  contemplation as “thoughtful, long consideration or observation, full or deep consideration; reflection; religious connotations.” These interpretations inspired the process of creating my works in this exhibition. Some works are new while others have been made within the last two years. Spirit Moves is one of several installations and uses the accessible and simple materials of paper, wire and paint.  A series of twelve small paintings called Free Flow, were created by the ancient Japanese technique of Suminagashi painting whereby paint or ink is gently dropped onto the surface of water. After creating a deliberate composition, and laying paper or fabric on top of the water, the image is released on to the surface of the support material. There are three works from a series called Swept Away that incorporate drawing, paint and mixed media on industrial mesh that are partially suspended from the ceiling and wall. Metamorphosis is an 8’ in diameter circular work made of industrial mesh, tyvek and paint that has been created through a heating process, having underlying themes of meditation and the impermanence of all things. There is also a series of seven industrial mesh works which originate from a large series called Atmospheres using layers of painted mesh pieces to create a spatial experience having to do with our natural world.


As Cathy Breslaw is one of our Picked RAW Peeled bloggers, both Joe Nalven and Patricia Frischer went to see her exhibition,

Cathy Breslaw: Future Contemplations
by Patricia Frischer

I am writing a more emotional reaction to the works of Cathy Breslaw at the Gotthelf Gallery. It is delightful to enter this room full of lovely colors and shapes, but certain works attracted me more  that others. There are large works with dark and light contrast and many obviously hand draw and hand crafted collaged elements. I find these works a bit confusing but they are obviously quest for some purpose. I am just not sure what. But those are contrasted with the much more pure net pieces with layers of hand gradient applied colors titled, for example, sunrise and sunset. If you get close to these works and block out all around you, you could get lost in them. If fact, I found myself wanting them to be huge and for the room to contain only four of them rather like the feeling you get when you are in a room of Rothko's paintings.  You could be engulfed and transported. These works truly could allow you to contemplate much the same way at looking at clouds allows your mind to roam. Works that are capable of allowing this type of experience are very special.  



I loved the relationship between the Shofar themed central work and the Jewish Community Center. The net veil records five words: Renew, Awaken, The Call, Reflect, Forgive. And there are miniature shofar symbols forming a circle at the base that reminds me of a maze walk which is used for meditation.  Again I found myself wanting this piece to be larger, to actually walk the spiral and even add layers of net where I could enter into the work. I think this piece has the possibility of being a whole series or an entire room filling installation.


I was also drawn to this work which has these odd shapes attached directly to the wall with delicate wires. They seem to be scurrying across the wall but do not seem to threatening like spiders, but instead some sort of leaf or figurative forms and they create lovely shadows and are more delicately colored than appears in this image. This  work was created in 2014
Cathy Breslaw has intellectual strength tempered with a love for a physical experience.
She is an artist to watch.



20 comments:

  1. I will look forward to seeing the show. Thanks for posting this tempting introduction to it.

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  2. The Call of the Shofar:100 Sounds Art reminds me of all people being exiled; to yearn for them and to pray for them to all one day unite and return to the promise land, reminds me of the dead's spirit to wake up be resurrected and be taken home to the light, and it reminds me of myself judgement day once I leave this earth to meet my maker.

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  3. The juxtaposition of materials and imagery in Atmospheres seems to define the work despite going unmentioned here and is only suggested by the artist's word choice. That is, industrial plastic mesh portraying natural imagery, I’m not sure the distinction is necessary if there isn’t some environmental message I’m supposed to be picking up on. It could be that Cathy Breslaw is simply very proud of not using that pesky consumer plastic mesh, I mean it would be rare for an environmentalist to keep quiet about their views, right?
    The personal connection between the work and Judaism is probably profound but lost to me. Nevertheless, the peaceful contemplative quality is undeniable. In fact, as I’m typing this, the slightest judgment makes me feel like a jerk. It’s interesting to see Japanese techniques done in this setting (there’s probably Jewish men / Asian women joke somewhere in there), art can be so culturally diverse in a way that would have been unlikely or impossible at any other time in human history. It’s indicative of a world that is coming closer together, despite the focus falling so heavily on those forces attempting to pull it further apart.

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  4. The idea of using textiles or fabrics to enhance concepts like transience, etherealness, or the fleeting nature of time/space is really cool.

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  5. With Cathy's rich background and artistic knowledge Contemplation will be a beautiful expression of past works and present thoughts. Many will be able to appreciate her creativity which infuses so many styles.

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  6. I think it is amazing that you use plastic mesh and fabrics to revolve around the idea of space and transparencies. I hope to see more of your beautiful work!

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  7. I never realized how much feeling and personal life past and present goes into art. The feelings and emotions when creating it must be amazing. The research needed when doing something specialized never entered my mind, to me art was just something to look at and either like or dislike. A new door opened for me, a new respect and a new understanding of art has changed my way of thinking and I will never see any of the arts in the same light again.

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  8. Visually these are great pieces. I do like art but it's been years since I was into it enough to get a huge picture in my head from something where others would. Nervously it all looks as it is upfront without deeper meaning: really cool art. Not that me not seeing deeper meaning is bad just-I think I would have to sit on it and think more for my thoughts to develop and go "Ah wait it means" etc. I do like the inspirations for each piece as it shows broadly for me. Especially cosmology that was a word floating in my mind and I was creeped a little that it was listed there. Coincidence maybe or that's what I interpret and received exactly. Oh and the fact that it's made from materials I wouldn't think of is exciting. Because I couldn't have guessed it. To do that I think is truly art in of itself. Arts subjective but if you can create something visually appealing in whatever context to whomever then THAT is art.

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  9. Cathy Breslaw is truly talented, being able to successfully transform her thoughts about light, space and transparencies into a physical manifestation. I enjoyed her work, especially the intensity and vibrancy of Sunset.

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  10. It's nice to see the artist stick to her own and didn't make this contemplation literal to what the museum wanted. She interpreted it in her own way to create something beautiful. And I love that she left much interpretation up to the viewers of the pieces. That she left it up for the viewers to conclude their own feelings and opinions on her work.

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  11. I really enjoyed the materials she used to create her art work. I feel like it helped it stand out from other pieces and create more of a personality. It shows her own identity as an artist rather than painting a scene from the high holy days. I feel more of an emotional connection towards the work now that i know some of the back ground of the pieces.

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  12. It's interesting to see the use of colors that were used in these pieces of art. All of the pieces really stick out with their mesmerizing colors and really gives the art emotion. I like the use of space done by the artist.

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  13. I really love how Cathy Breslaw created her art work, especially the Above, Below and Beyond piece and the Sunset piece that she did. I think it's amazing how she turned industrial plastic mesh into something amazing with spray paint.

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  14. It is refreshing to see an artist base their art on the emotions they feel. Not putting a limit to the materials she uses, Cathy Breslaw brings a new meaning to art. She personalized her pieces by involving her beliefs in light and space, emphasizing her focus on her artworks.

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  15. I absolutely love the way Cathy Breslaw uses different shapes and I was amazed by all the beautiful colors. Contemplation is the perfect name for the exhibit because her pieces can make you click and connect with your emotional, rational and irrational side.

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  16. Overall an intriguing article, especially the way she designed her art work. From the materials she used to the way they were set up. Also applying her Jewish background gave it a more sentimental feel.

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  17. It is very interesting the way that the art exhibit was related to Judaism but is not necessarily a religious-based show. The works shown have deeper meaning to what you can just see with your eyes. They help you reflect on life and to change if for the best and to challenge yourself. It is interesting the way Cathy Breslaw wants to portray something to the public with her art but is very open about the way different people may interpret it. This article made me want to go to an art museum and not just judge before knowing it is from a different religion than mine and be open about things. There is more than what you see. Thank you.

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  18. I really enjoy the vibes off the free flow 8 and free flow 2 pieces.. Its got a real sort of psychedelic feel to it and the colors also give off a dreamy like sensation..

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  19. I really enjoy the religious background, religion and art go hand in hand. the exhibit looks interesting, textures and layers as an art device are always interesting to see!

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  20. Love the calm energy but also power that comes from her work.

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