“Close Looking”, Solo Exhibitions by James Allan Holmes & Cheri Vilona
D’art Gallery, located at 900 Santa Fe Drive, hosts “Close Looking”, Solo Exhibitions by James-Allan Holmes & Cheri Vilona. The exhibition runs from Thursday, January 12 through Sunday, February 12, 2023. An Opening Reception is scheduled for Friday, January 13, from 6 - 9 pm. Artist Talks by James-Allan Holmes and Cheri Vilona are scheduled for Saturday, January 21 at 1 pm.
ArtistsJames-Allan Holmes and Cheri Vilona, sharing the common theme “Close Looking”, present their work based on re-engaging one’s observations, discoveries, senses, and memories. Through the exhibition, they invite individuals to open up to new possibilities in seeing and appreciating all that is before everyone’s eyes through “close looking”.
James-Allan Holmes Solo Exhibition:
This exhibition by James-Allan Holmes is a continuation of the successful exhibits “Lifelines,’ and “Origins” previously presented in D’art Gallery East in 2022. “Close Looking goes even deeper presenting select paintings from the prior shows along with dynamic new paintings to completely a trilogy as a combined body of work. James-Allan Holmes creates brilliant abstract paintings using both soft and bold color palettes activated through rich textures on canvas to translate elements of his inner life through his unique visual language. James works in acrylics finding the viscosity and drying properties work well to support his spontaneous style present in the instance of inspiration. Holmes states: "I do not plan my paintings, I go into my studio, select music which resonates with my present emotional state, choose a color pallet by inspiration then openly throw my heart at the canvas."
As a longtime advocate of the arts, James is a Trustee of the Denver Art Museum, Board Member for the Arts District on Santa Fe. A native of Colorado, James is the Executive Director at Cherokee Ranch & Castle Foundation. James and his work have been featured in a variety of broadcast media and publications including Rocky Mountain PBS, KVDR Fox 31, KMGH 7, KUSA 9, CBS4 Denver, Art Bound Podcast, Tenet Podcast, Art Biz Success Podcast, Avid Lifestyle Magazine, City Lifestyle Magazine, and the Colorado Community Newspapers. His work can be seen at: https://jamesholmesstudio.com
Cheri Vilona Solo Exhibition:
For Cheri Vilona, the concept of “Close Looking” is based on re-engaging observations, senses and memories, being open to new ways in seeing and appreciating one’s natural surroundings. She encourages viewers to ask “what am I attracted to?” and be open to the beautiful artistic interpretations that can and do occur, by taking in all that is before us, and appreciating what an artist creates from those inspirations. The exhibition presents abstract paintings in a series reflecting Cheri Vilonas’ experience and close observations from an Artistic Journey to the Northeast this Spring. She explored farmlands and countrysides that had been the source of many abstract landscape paintings created by both Wolf Kahn and Emily Mason during their summers in Vermont. Cheri Vilona creates abstract mixed media paintings on canvas and panel and incorporates antique journals, French hand-written letters, ink, carbon, oil stick, and Japanese handmade papers to deepen her conversation within each painting. Cheri is influenced by the natural essences of a place and is keen on developing her work to a deeper more emotional reference, moving from a sense of description to a sense of feeling of place in her work. She begins her process with visual references, then she adds other media, color and gestural layers to create texture, complexity and calm in each piece. Whether the work is a close-up of a garden scene or a distant hillside view, each viewer can find elements of joy and familiarity within her work.
Cheri Vilona earned an Associates Degree in Graphic Arts and Advertising from Rockland Community College in NY and a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from Marylhurst University in Oregon. Cheri lives in Berthoud Colorado with her artist husband James on a 5 acre “Art Farm” called Vilona Studios. Cheri is influenced by the natural essences of a place and is keen on developing her work to a deeper more emotional reference, moving from a sense of description to a sense of feeling of place in her work. Cheri has participated in an artist-in-residence at BreckCreates in Breckenridge and has exhibited her work in Aspen, Santa Fe, New Mexico, Houston, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee. Her work is in corporate collections including several Denver Law Firms and St. Jude’s’ Children’s Research Hospital and can be viewed at: http://www.cherivilona.com
Gallery Hours:
Thursday Noon to 5pm, Friday Noon to 9 pm, Saturday Noon to 5 pm, Sunday 1 pm to 4 pm.
D’art Gallery will be participating in the Art District on Santa Fe events: Third Friday Collectors Night on Friday, January 20 from 6 – 9 pm, “Sundays on Santa Fe” on Sunday, January 29 from 11 am to 4 pm and First Friday on Friday, February 3 from 6 - 9 pm.