Rachel Gloria Adams is a multidisciplinary artist living in Portland, ME. Adams has developed a vibrant, graphic pattern-based visual language filled with references to the natural world that posses an heirloom quality. Her work takes form by way of quilting, painting, design and large scale murals.
She moved to to Maine in 2005 to pursue her BFA from the Maine College of Art and Design. She has gone on to exhibit artwork at New Systems Laundry, George Marshall Store Gallery, Able Baker, Notch8, Alice Gauvin Gallery and the Center for Maine Contemporary Art. She has attended residencies at Speedwell, Pace House and is an Indigo Arts Alliance David C Driscoll Fellow.
Ryan Adams' ‘gem’ style of work was developed through the study of letterforms and the layering techniques used in experimenting with spray paint to add shadows and highlights to create depth and movement throughout the pieces. The backbone of the work is lettering, so this affords the opportunity to directly convey a statement or saying within the piece that is camouflaged within the bending and intertwining geometric shapes. He often tries to take that opportunity to express a thought or bit of knowledge that draws from lessons learned from diverse array of life experiences. The fact that there is a statement masked within the piece adds a layer to the viewing experience in which the audience becomes directly involved in trying to decipher the message within the piece. This interactive and immersive viewing experience is shared with the Cubist and American Graffiti movements that heavily influence this style of work. The duality of the work, being viewed as a geometric abstraction while also including a direct statement, is exhibited in the naming of the ‘gem’ style. It alludes to the dimensional shapes reflecting the look of natural gemstones and also alludes to the slang term of ‘gems’ meaning an important piece of knowledge handed down through a witty statement.
Rachel and Ryan are included in "the House support itself," a show of 11 artist couples presented in collaboration with Fort Hall Gallery, and curated by Ian Trask.
18 янв 2024