Eileen Blodgett's “Bloom”

Opening Reception: : Friday, April 1st from 5:00-7:00 PM

Showing: Thursday, March 31st  –  Sunday, May 8th

About the Show

Artist Eileen Blodgett’s new series of paintings are like invigorating, and gentle, wished-for, “in-the-moment”, experiences such as running through tall green grasses, sitting atop a hill quietly absorbing every detail of a flower petal, or watching multitudes of flowers moving in the breeze.

 

At times, Blodgett incorporates buoyantly abstract patterns, swirls, or charcoal lines in these pieces - all of which may seem to come from another world, yet all are germane and radiate beautifully together.

 

The experience of being ‘In the moment’, abounds in these refreshing new Works. 

Artist Statement

Artist Eileen Blodgett talks about her exhibit of new paintings, “Bloom,” at the Nevada City Winery Gallery.

bloom: \ ˈblüm

noun: a state or time of beauty, freshness, and vigor  

verb: to mature into achievement of one's potential

As a painter, my practice has followed the flow of seasonal influences in my environment. As each season changes, especially in the past two years of relative isolation, I have become more observant and sensitive to my surroundings and the incremental changes in nature. I have always been influenced by the seasons, having grown up on my parent’s landscape nursery in rural Pennsylvania. Everything depended on the elements. Nature ruled. During dormant periods, a storehouse of energy and growth begins to form, and I can feel that brewing inside myself as an artist.

When I lived in Japan years ago, I became aware that each season has many distinct facets. In April, for example, nature progresses on a nearly weekly “schedule”. First, the swallows return, then wild geese fly north, followed by first rainbows, first seedlings sprout, last frost, and so on. There is always something progressing, something to look for. The Japanese actually name these micro seasons. This year I had the opportunity to really slow down and notice those changes. I’ve also had the opportunity to paint more, so I have experienced a “freshness and vigor” in my practice, as inspired by the arrival of this spring season. Hence, I’ve entitled this exhibit “Bloom”.  

Much of my recent work employs texture. I find this to be very tactile and I enjoy “drawing’ with texture as I begin each new piece. It primes the pump of my imagination to work this way as I prepare the surface for whatever happens next. In this way, I allow the painting to become what it will. It has been a very engaging process and I hope you enjoy the work.

About the Artist

A fascination with nature and texture has taken Eileen’s paintings to a place of discovery and shifting perspectives. Eileen examines the subtleties of nature’s colors and seasonal patterns to create paintings that often evoke the rhythm and motion of the natural world. 

In addition to working in mixed media, acrylic and other water media, fine art printmaking techniques often find their way onto Eileen’s canvases and works on paper. 

Eileen is originally from Bucks County, PA, where her family operated a rural landscape nursery. She was, indeed, raised in a (converted) barn. This early environment imprinted the ever-changing seasons into her consciousness and fed her curiosity about nature and people around the world. 

Eileen has studied Art in Pennsylvania and California, as well as in Japan, where she resided for over a year. She holds a BS In Art Education and an MA in Ed. / Art from San Francisco State University.

Eileen works in her rural home studio in Nevada City and has been a resident artist for over 15 years at Artist Studios in the Foothills where she teaches classes. For the past five years Eileen has designed and developed arts-integrated curriculum for Nevada County Superintendent of Schools in the Artists in Schools program through a grant from the Nevada County Arts Council. 

Eileen has hosted week-long painting and mixed media workshops in Sayulita and San Miguel Mexico, as well as other beautiful destinations. Most recently, during this year, Eileen has hosted workshops on Zoom from her Nevada City Studio and is working on a new book. 

Learn more on our Art Gallery Page