Arts & Family

Organic Alchemy

Sep 7 - Oct 11, 2024  |  4:00PM - 6:00PM

Artplex Gallery is excited to present "Organic Alchemy," an exhibition where nature's beauty converges with artistic brilliance in a captivating display of creativity and transformation. "Organic Alchemy" explores the harmonious relationship between natural forms and artistic expression, inviting audiences to immerse themselves in a world where organic shapes and vibrant hues breathe life into imaginative concepts. Join us at Artplex Gallery to experience the magic of "Organic Alchemy" and witness the fusion of natural beauty and creative genius.

Steven Nederveen's art centers on the ever-changing relationship we share with nature, a connection that often oscillates between admiration and devastation. Beneath the overtly positive and uplifting depictions of natural landscapes, there lies a subtle exploration of the darker facets of the human psyche. His representations of oceans and forests are idealized, emanating an inner radiance that burns with intensity. This heightened effect reflects our own yearning for a deeper connection with nature, a desire to both harness and be moved by its power, ultimately revealing the complexity of our bond with the natural world.

After receiving his Bachelor of Design from the University of Alberta, the Candian artist moved to Vancouver where he lived between the mountains and ocean, undertaking a committed practice of meditation as well as hiking and sailing. Nederveen combines painting and photography to express the complex relationship we have with the natural environment. He travels extensively to photograph landscapes around the world. He looks for either quiet moments in a dramatic scene or dramatic moments in quiet scenes.

Printing these images at canvas size, he then starts the slow process of concealing and revealing areas with acrylic paint, mixing impasto techniques with splatters and scrapes, often leaving just a small area of a photo remaining. He uses meditation and time spent in nature to inform his images, finding a language to express the connection between inner and outer worlds. These mixed media paintings blur the lines of realism and experience, photography and painting.

Alessandro Casetti, born in 1981 in Bagno di Romagna, Italy, is a multi-talented artist who excels as a painter, singer, and musician. He obtained a diploma from the Art Institute of Sansepolcro and further honed his artistic skills through studies at the Fine Art Academy in Florence. In 2002, Casetti marked a significant milestone in his career by debuting his artwork at a renowned art gallery in Florence. Subsequently, he has continued to make his mark on the global art scene, participating in numerous successful international exhibitions and establishing himself as a prominent figure in the art world.

His paintings metaphorically represent all the emotional processes that happen inside and outside of our own bodies. The fusion of the colorful poured color fields mixed with portraiture demonstrate that inside is the root of everything that will happen outside. Cracks of color open into a space where everything dissolves to make way for a better and responsible future.

Casetti uses industrial paints, water, and white spirit enamels applied solely by gravity on wood or canvas. The colors take on different shapes and textures creating a crackle effect. The work becomes material, alive. The result is something infinitely large or infinitely small; a satellite vision of the planet, the cracks of the parched earth, fossils of ancient lakes; or maybe, on the opposite side of the spectrum, the slow progress of mold seen through a microscope.

Casetti has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Taiwan, and the United States.

Kate Tova’s work incorporate vibrant, large-scale multimedia artworks incorporate reflective mediums and thick textures in. Colors splash across the page melding into flourishes of sequins, rhinestones, and glitter. The natural beauty of her subjects is juxtaposed against the "engine of technology" inspiring personal and innovative compositions.

Tova comes from the small riverside town of Balakovo, Russia. As a child, she demonstrated early virtuosity in visual arts and soon moved to Moscow to expand her opportunities in the busy capital. Recreating the lavishly gilded architecture of churches and museums of her early years still inspires Tova’s work.

Tova’s constant urge to create and experiment won her recognition across Russia, Europe, and the United States. In 2015 she moved to New Orleans, where she began working as a full-time artist. In New Orleans, carnivals inspired Tova to use a vibrant color palette and thick, generous brushstrokes. After four bright and successful years in the Big Easy, she moved to San Francisco.

Tova has earned awards and critical acclaim participating in art exhibitions in Vienna, Berlin, New York, Prague and other cities around the world. Tova’s art has appeared on the covers of foreign music records, been published in international magazines, and even inspired a jewelry collection.