Baker—Hall is pleased to announce Melissa Wallen’s first solo exhibition with the gallery, entitled “Between Sleep and Sky”. The exhibition will be on view from October 5, through November 9, 2024, with an opening reception on Saturday, October 5, from 6 to 9 PM.
Melissa Wallen’s paintings draw from a rich tapestry of personal snapshots, poetry, music, and art history, forming abstract landscapes that navigate the boundaries between memory and reality through the fluid nature of oil paint. Her work interweaves fragmented elements, creating spaces that are both familiar and otherworldly. Gesture and hue act as guideposts through emotional landscapes, offering a glimpse into the convergence of these disparate influences channeled through the transformative power of painting.
Wallen’s latest series continues her exploration of fluid moments within landscapes viewed through the lens of dreams and emotion. Her intuitive paint handling, characterized by loose, swirling brushstrokes and a conscious embrace of the canvas surface, echoes the Romantic and Mannerist traditions, creating a dialogue with her predecessors. Fog, mist, and light mingle within her works, forming expansive dreamscapes that invite viewers to step into brilliantly lit nightscapes or traverse the astral plane. These pieces reflect collective emotions, offering a space for introspection and a deeper exploration of our own nature.
In this new body of work, Wallen deepens her connection to place through a visceral experience of color. The pigments she gathers during her travels, primarily in France and Italy, infuse her paintings with the distinct hues that define these landscapes. Through the bending of light, these colors construct imagined spaces that evoke both the essence of the places Wallen has seen and a sense of wonder for what lies beyond.
Melissa Wallen draws inspiration from a diverse array of sources such as personal snapshots, poetry, music, and art history, forming images which abstract through the malleable nature of memory and the expressive qualities of oil paint. The result is an interplay of elements that coalesce to form spaces rich with fragmentation. Gesture and hue serve as guideposts through emotional landscapes which are built on the convergence of these disparate influences, channeled through the transformative power of painting.
Born in New Jersey, Wallen moved to Miami in 2006. After receiving her BFA in Painting and Fibers at Florida International University, she joined the staff of the de la Cruz Collection, opening the private collection of Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz to the public in Miami’s Design District in 2009. Most recently, she held the position of Director until the collection’s closure in 2024. In 2022, she was recognized as a Knight Arts Champion by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation for her ongoing contributions and leadership within Miami’s art community.
Baker—Hall is a proud member of NADA.
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