Vivid Art Gallery First Friday Art Opening

Vivid Art Gallery will host an opening for Featured Artist Anne Smith Stephan on June 6^th at its monthly First Friday event. The event, which runs from 5-7 PM, is open to all and is free of charge. Refreshments will be served and Smith Stephan will also be on hand to discuss her work with visitors.
 
Smith Stephan will be presenting new abstract work in her exhibit entitled Parallel Universe. This body of work is a continuation of themes that she has been exploring for some time. Specifically, the work ranges from pieces featuring muted, earthly tones to bright, ethereal landscapes. Her paintings invite the viewer to contemplate the power of our experiences and the unknown. 
 
Describing her approach, she states, “Abstract painting is letting your imagination roam free. It’s expressed through color, shape, texture, light, and space. Often a painting will start out with many di?erent colors and a more complicated composition that then simplifies as it progresses. There is so much freedom in the process, which allows the paintings to develop in a number of different ways.” 
 
Smith Stephan’s work is inspired by her experiences. While she generally paints abstract landscapes, her work is imbued with her feelings, knowledge, and happenings around her. She says, “Art is such a personal creative endeavor, no matter what the form.  Your memories of life are always with you: you paint what you see, experience and know.  I take these realities and create another world, using some very conscious decisions and some others that are just below the threshold of sensation or consciousness.” 
 
In addition to the art opening at Vivid, many other businesses in Hubbard Woods will be celebrating First Friday in June. To enliven the evening, there will be a number of artists painting en plein aire, out on the sidewalks in front of participating businesses. Live music will also be playing throughout the district. Details are available at www.shophubbardwoods.com.