“Terra”

Show dates: August 20 – September 15

Artist Reception: Saturday, August 24, 4-8 p.m.

Terra is an exhibition featuring paintings by Tarran Mariah and ceramics by Bracken Feldman on view at Chroma Fine Art Gallery now through September 15. An Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, August 24, from 4:00-8:00pm.

Upon entering the Terra exhibition, visitors will feel softly enveloped by a rich, earthy environment. The works on display reflect the material strength and flexible adaptability of the earth element. “Bracken and Tarran’s works complement each other. The colors and textures are deep and alive, and there is a feeling of movement, flow, and topography,” explains Terra curator Rita Baunok.

Tarran Mariah’s sensuous paintings are being shown at Chroma for the first time. Her practice celebrates life’s fluid chemistry by connecting the natural world and the metaphysical realm. She uses ancient geological materials, including pigment, mica, and water. Some of her resulting compositions reveal a soft translucence, like petals floating on water. Others feature fluid jewel-tone splashes, like an aurora borealis dancing through cosmos. There are still others that are densely textured, where segments erupt and recede mirroring the rough pocks and bubbles of volcanic pumice. When viewed together, they present the variety and complexity of the earth’s surface and subterranean structures.

Bracken Feldman’s ceramics have been featured at Chroma several times in the past. Baunok explains, “Her technique is superior, and her works are deceptively simple. I love that these versatile pieces can be collected, used, and loved.” Each piece created in Feldman’s studio is hand-formed on the wheel from a stoneware clay body, and then glaze fired to 2176˚ F, yielding a product that is as enduring as it is special. The ceramics on current display were specially created for the Terra exhibition. Feldman looked to her fellow artist Tarran Mariah’s paintings as a spring-board to explore a new palette. “Bracken has a great eye for color,” says Baunok, “and she created new tones using special glazes just for this show.” The result is an evocative exhibition that is grounded in a tactile exploration, yet soaring in scope.