Multi/Faceted is a two-person exhibition of abstract mixed-media explorations. Liz Nelson & Priya Wittman each draw inspiration from process and materials, selecting and collaging elements that speak to an array of disciplines - jewelry making, modernist painting, quilting, and design. Both artists share a dedication to material research, using color relationships and attention to texture to drive compositional choices and construction. The resulting images express a variety of visual themes such as landscape, architectural form, and pattern field, and sit in the transitional spaces between the categories of art, craft, and design.

Priya Wittman
*Cotton Candy I*
Acrylic gouache on canvas
16” x 16”

Priya Wittman: “My work is largely driven by intuitive responses to material. I have always felt it was a bit incongruous to use canvas solely as a concealed support for layers of paint film, rather than respond to and incorporate the material more intentionally into the work. Concurrently, my drawings had turned to mark making on grid paper, and I was repeating and rotating tiles of intricate patterns - a process akin to quilting. I started exploring hand sewing, without the use of a sewing machine. I plan to incorporate machine work at some point - a sewing machine is an incredible tool. But I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of garment and quilt block construction processes, as well as develop my own mark making language with these new materials of thread and fabric.”

Priya Wittman
*Cloud*
Repurposed textiles, cotton, thread, batting, fabric paint
8” x 10”

“In addition to practicing traditional piecing, improvisational techniques, and embroidery, I am experimenting with hand painting and dyeing the fabric at every stage of the process of making a quilt. My fabric sources are repurposed/second hand garments, and store bought plain muslin, canvas, and linen. The use of found and repurposed fabrics injects great variety of texture and unexpected color combinations into the final artworks. A friend of mine once said that ‘fabric is an over abundant resource’ - I couldn’t agree more!”

Liz Nelson
*Window*
mixed media on wood
8.75" x 11"

Liz Nelson: “When we began dreaming about this show, I knew I wanted to work abstractly and with a concentration on fundamentals of design. The interaction of line, form, color, and texture in aesthetic ways that invited the viewer to engage with the work was my creative impetus. I remember learning about Gestalt theory a couple of decades ago and being fascinated by its implications when it comes to psychology and design. Simply stated, it posits that the whole is greater than the individual parts. That concept and theory intrigued me and has influenced the way I think about creativity and art making.”

Liz Nelson
*a mood* “#1-#12”
mixed media on wood
3.5" - 4.5" each

“I love the process of bringing together elements and methods to create a more beautiful and engaging whole. I love the interaction of colors and the emphasis that can be placed with a textural line or shape. The components themselves can be interesting, but it’s how they are put together, the way our brains organize them, and the relationship formed that gives them life. Facets beget form. Drawing inspiration from architectural lines, the Bauhaus movement, and Modernism allowed me to focus my vision for the series and rendering the pieces on wood created unique shapes and surfaces to bring my sketches and paint to and a space to explore texture and line with the addition of wire and string. The process of creating was a mix of planned components and in progress experimentation— each piece undergoing its own evolution. My hope is that the combined elements alongside single word titles will spur the viewer to a thoughtful consideration and personal interpretation of this body of work.”

See Multi/Faceted by Priya Wittman and Liz Nelson in our Gallery Annex throughout the month of July.