artscope magazine: January/February 2010 Welcome Statement: Brian Goslow, managing editor Letters to the Editor roundtable - Three Professionals. One Question. cornered: a conversation with an art exhibition attendee FEATURED ARTIST GEORGE NICK - Reflections of an impermanent world Not Your Typical Photo Place - PHOTOPLACE GALLERY TARO SHINODA: LUNAR REFLECTIONS ODDLY PRETTY PAINTINGS - HANNAH COLE TANGIBLE EXPERIENCE: BRIAN KEITH STEPHENS Belonging and Longing - Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons: Works on Paper FIXED CHAOS at Montserrat SILENT CIRCLES: THE HEALING - Barbara Gagel FEATURE - Evolution: Five Decades of Printmaking by David Driskell FEATURE - Historic Japanese Kiri-E and Contemporary Tibetan Thangka GOLDEN LEGACY: Original Art From 65 Years Of Golden Books DECEIVINGLY SIMPLE - Charles Duback: Collages EMMA AMOS: HEROES AND FOLK GHOSTS OF THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE: ZUGUNRUHE wanderlust - The (Right) Brainpower Triangle: The Finest Free Art in Somerville and Cambridge community - THE KATE: A Little Gem With A Movie Star Name industry focus - BUY WHAT YOU LOVE education - SPACE TO DISCOVER: MASSART/FAWC LOW RESIDENCY MFA Capsule Previews

SILENT CIRCLES: THE HEALING - Barbara Gagel James Dyment Ayer Lofts Gallery 172 Middle Street Lowell, Massachusetts February 6 through 26 SANTA FE ARTIST BARBARA GAGEL RETURNS TO LOWELL FOR A SOLO EXHIBIT OF HER RECENT WORK, A SERIES OF SMALL ENCAUSTIC PANELS THAT DEPICT HER JOURNEY THROUGH THE HEALING PROCESS AFTER LOSING HER HUSBAND. Metaphysical metaphors are something Gagel has often used in her work. Prior to this series, she created acrylic paintings with a Yin and Yang theme using red and black. After her husband’s passing, it was evident that it was time to change gears and use the medium that best reflected her thoughts, which were focused on her own spiritual healing. Light was a major consideration because it is a component in our concept of spirituality. The encaustic medium speaks to the idea of light because of its translucent quality. “It offers the sensation of diffused light,” said Gagel, “and circles symbolize the concept of self.” The Greek philosopher Empedocles believed that “God is a circle whose center is everywhere and circumference nowhere.” It’s an ancient symbol and signifies coming back to your center. This journey is illustrated in the body of work titled “Silent Circles: The Healing.” The color in most of the paintings is muted. Gagel chooses a milky whitewash mixed with a layered green tint. The result for the viewer is a peaceful feeling of energy and nourishment. Many of the circular shapes are printed on paper, first using a hot wax to adhere the pigment to the paper. Gagel uses a heated galvanized plate to heat the wax to the correct temperature to facilitate the fusion. The circles are then immersed into the composition with two or three layers of wax. We can identify with the warmth the wax possessed before it hardened. It makes sense that this medium can bring an artist back to her center spiritually; the color and texture are reminiscent of Read the entire article in our magazine pages...