like Cat is a Hopper Prize finalist. They create (not all abstract) introspective, resonant works informed by science-fiction, mysticism, wisdom traditions, and a human’s experience.
I picked up a strong Symbolist vibe from these, her voice reminds me of Emil and Agnes and Clarence.
More (and more artists on this blog whose work has strong symbolism)
#hayleyquentin
is a Hopper Prize finalist. (Artsy says) Spilman’s work addresses the themes of distance and separation, belonging, modern feminism, and motherhood.
#catspilman
Is a recent Hopper Prize Winner. They explore our psychological and emotional connection to place and memory, specifically in relation to ruination, surface, and decay, and how these themes link with notions of mortality.
#jodennis
has work up at Oneoneone atm. Including two images below because the artist is showing new work on rice paper, and work from the early 2000s on raw silk. In the latter case, it was hard for me not to think about the state of abstract painting in the that timeframe, and how the pro-intellect, antiromantic sentiment in Art and view of painting as completely dead and invalid likely made these poetic stain works that were quoting non-Western philosophy stand out and not in a positive way (the artist related during their talk, how they found the practice unsatisfying at the time, although I am reading into context with my observation).
Viewers who feel that they see a strong east Asian influence in these would not be wrong- at the artist’s talk, they discussed the relationship of transparent materials to the non-solidity of being ( in terms of both literal energy, and the relationship of reality to the mind), as well as the interplay and visual interdependence of layers in the work as a metaphor for the philosophical concept of interconnectedness of life. Yes, I see a few echoes of Ross as well.
#catalinaarocena
is renowned worldwide for her textile artworks and architectural installations that draw from her multifaceted approach, uniting artistry and ecological stewardship in a profound and enduring artist-activist vision.
#claudyjongstra
gets snaps in the most recent South edition of New American Painting. They are “drawn to the parallels between (their,) human body and the natural environment.”
(Maybe also check out Emma and Jane)
#alexandramcgowan
Is in Street Corner Conversations with Sharon and Wendy. Mitchell’s work explores boundaries and control. Beginning with a linen surface lying flat on a table, she dribbles white acrylic and clear medium, smooshing it intuitively with her fingers. Once dry, she chooses oil colors straight from the tubes. Using a tiny brush and very little pigment, she carefully stains the white underpainting with oil paint.
More and more (below is 35×40 btw)
#arielmitchell
is in Street Corner Conversations at McBride / Dillman with Sharon and Ariel Mitchell. approaches painting as a site of reconstitution. (From the gallery) “Drawing from experiences of impact, imbalance and illumination, she treats paint as both skin and medium, layering translucent and opaque color, then sanding, scraping and carving to reveal fiery forms.”
#wendyfulenwiderliszt
is one half of Slip at Overlap (with Olivia Baldwin*). She is particularly drawn to and work within the themes of landscape, femininity, and beauty.
*Two Coats published a conversation between Barbara and Olivia in the context of their exhibit
#barbaraowens
UPDATE apologies to Barbara for initially publishing a post with an image incorrectly attributed to her
No one who regularly reads this blog will be surprised to see Sharon’s name, but perhaps surprised for me to blog about her. I have of course (before today), originally in 2020, as I was first discovering my favorite blogazine, when she juried/curated The Daily. The second image below is from a series of paintings that she was making at the time based on very quick sketches she was doing on her phone. The work for me was a step beyond provisional painting, and had a sincerity and love for materials that is lacking in that group. As a creative focused on the active faith it takes to produce in a time after Art has died, while holding the contradiction that it is likely a pointless activity, really resonated, and still does.
Sharon has started off 2026 with a couple of very interesting projects-one at McBride Dillman* and another at CLEA RSKY – so I wanted to update my flowers for her.
*from the gallery- “Sharon Butler’s “new casualism” takes up the incomplete, the provisional, and the unfinished as meaningful categories. Her paintings challenge the authority of polish and perfection, foregrounding process as a form of truth-telling.”
#sharonbutler
had an amazing show overlapping the turn of the year: Cutting Room at Anchorlight. Not all of it was abstraction of course, and her interest in non-representational forms (like Sabrina) relates to optics- to be clear her main interests are in film and the history of women’s labor. Fascinating stuff- oh did I mention these are made on a loom?
#katenartker
Mostly posting this for local folks who, like me, fell in love with Kate Nartker’s work because of her recent exhibition at Anchorlight (yes I’ll do a blog about Kate tomorrow). And! Yes, there are images embedded in these patterns- opticality and film are part of a Venn diagram that overlaps many concepts with which abstraction is concerned.
#sabrinagschwandtner
Painters on Painting looks at Under the Sky, Above the Sea, a solo exhibition by Leila at the Visual Art Center of New Jersey in Summit.
#leilaseyedzadeh
catches the eye of Jacob at Two Coats for her newest with Lucas Blalock (not an abstractionist) at Bureau, including below (which is collaged, and also quite different from the rest of her works in the show).
#juliarommel
Painting After Art is Dead 