Brooklyn Art Studios and Yashar Gallery: Urban Impressionism "Afternoon Tea" Closing Reception, Sat. 11/16, 12-3pm

Urban Impressionism: Mixed-Media Art + Photography by Carla E. Reyes, Jeremiah Gregory, Robert Lobe, and Erik Savage

On view at Yashar Gallery, November 1- 22, 2013

Closing Reception:
Saturday, November 16, 12:00pm-3:00pm

Urban Impressionism is a series of abstract, mixed-media works of art created by Brooklyn based artist Carla E. Reyes, exploring the nature and character of specific urban environments through the re-creation of actual surfaces, textures, colors and shapes visually extracted from that environment. These textural “thumbnails” create an impression of the surroundings through a sensory response to the local color, characteristic surfaces - man made or natural, and organic or geometric shapes that are prevalent.

The Impressionists used dabs of paint to represent reflections of light to describe a scene, allowing the viewer to absorb the landscape through the familiar sensations of and responses to light and color. Urban Impressionism seeks to describe the scenery and atmosphere through sensory associations with colors, textures and forms ubiquitous to that environment, in a more abstract and microcosmic way. These textural “snapshots” explore the juxtaposition and interplay of man made and natural surfaces found in modern urban landscapes. When viewed together, these works create a backdrop of color, texture, and form that evoke a particular place and time, and bring the viewer into that environment on a visceral level. Urban Impressionism is also about honing in on the beauty and poetry of seemingly mundane or unrefined aspects of our everyday surroundings.

This exhibition will feature a selection of the mixed-media artwork series created by Carla E. Reyes, a Brooklyn based artist interested in visceral art making that explores the interaction between the natural and the man made, complex textural surfaces, and experimentation with new and unconventional art materials. Carla received her MA in Art Education from City College, and her BFA in Restoration and Fine Arts from FIT, NYC. Carla is also a decorative finisher, scenic/mural artist and art educator. Her complete portfolio can be viewed at: http://www.carlaereyes.com.

Also on view, are images of urban abstraction discovered as ongoing inspiration for the series, created by contemporary photographers. Born in Nashville, TN, Jeremiah Gregory(http://www.jeremiahgregory.com/) received his B.A. in Studio Art from Pitzer College, CA. His photographs run the gamut from moody portraiture to haunting abstractions of interiors and city surfaces, but all have a tongue in cheek message read through a lens catching light playing tricks. He currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

Robert Lobe (http://www.robertlobephoto.com/) came to color photography in the late 1970’s from a painting tradition. He received his Masters in Art History from Brown University, and studied at the International Center of Photography, as well as in workshops with master printer Jerry Vezzuso. He has had solo exhibitions at the University of Rhode Island, the Soho Photo Gallery, the Concepto Gallery, Brooklyn, and was included in the Queens International 2012, Queens Museum of Art, NY.

Erik Savage is a recent graduate and current intern at Alpha Workshops Studio School’s decorative arts program, NYC. He has worked in magazine publishing as a designer and creative director, most recently at InTouch Weekly. He is partner in an artisan candy company (www.JustCaramelOnline.com), and is a freelance photographer and scenic painter. He has exhibited at Visual AIDS Postcards From The Edge, NYC, as well as at the gallery at Alpha Workshops.

Urban Impressionism will be on view from November 1-22, 2013 at Yashar Gallery. Yashar Gallery is located minutes from Manhattan in the urban art community of Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Yashar Gallery opened its doors in April 2010, and hosts monthly rotating exhibitions featuring the professional artists at Brooklyn Art Studios in the Greenpoint Industrial Center. Visithttp://www.brooklynartstudiosnyc.blogspot.com for Yashar Gallery’s exhibition schedule and updates, map/directions, and to learn about the artists of Brooklyn Art Studios.