Cynthia Camlin at Punch Gallery

Posted on February 14, 2013, 11:36 am
2 mins

Slide
"Cracked Prospects" by Cynthia Camlin.

“Cracked Prospects” by Cynthia Camlin.

Cynthia Camlin’s “Cracked Prospects,” currently exhibiting at Punch Gallery, explores glacial landscapes through watercolor and a uniquely geometric style. Camlin abstracts images of remote ice-fields, imbuing each work with a transparent quality and a sense of natural flow while also referring to “geological and mathematical pattern.” Camlin’s defined structural forms and soft colors simply capture the viewer. The work in “Cracked Prospects” is a variation on her past style, as it demonstrates similar themes and relationships but here is applied to a more allover, abstracted landscape style.

Camlin’s Subglacial 1 uses the watercolor aesthetic to create a glacial landscape that appears inhospitable but is warmed by color and form. Subglacial 1 is divided into three registers. The top portion is dominated by soft grey, an atmospheric sky. The middle register is filled by sections of dripping greens and teals—an artic expanse of ocean and land. Cracking geometric lines—like sheets of ice as they break off—delineate the bottom of the piece. Although the pieces can be read as purely abstracted forms or a cosmic game of Tetris, the horizontality of the canvas and unobstructed lines lead viewers to see them as landscapes.

An admirer of Camlin's work.

An admirer of Camlin’s work.

Each piece in “Cracked Prospects” has a clear individuality, but follows a unified aesthetic that was reminiscent of Rockwell Kent’s work. Kent’s glacial landscapes from the 1940s and ‘50s were representational, whereas Camlin’s are abstract, but in the work of both artists these remote landscapes assume a peaceful, almost mystical quality. At a time when there is growing concern and heated debate about the disappearance of these landscapes, the layered and complex work of “Cracked Prospects” reveal a world that demands our attention without commentary—just sublime beauty.

“Cracked Prospects” will be on display at Punch Gallery, February 7 – March 2, 2013. http://www.punchgallery.org

Claire Reiner is a writer, artist and recent graduate from the University of Washington’s School of Art with a major in Art History. She is interested in recent art movements and subcultures (1950s, 60s, 70s) and how they have shaped present perceptions and practices of art. She grew up in Southern California and moved to Seattle in 2010. She is quite influenced by the unique geography of both places and enjoys hiking and exploring the Pacific Northwest. Reiner covers visual art exhibits in Seattle and seeks to contribute to a profound and positive artistic community, as well as encourage people to come out and experience art moments for themselves. Reiner is also the Executive Assistant for VanguardSeattle and handles any press related needs.

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