D’art 360 is proud to host the imaginative exhibition Mindscapes, The Art of Discovery from April 23–May 17 by artists Daniel Bahn, Melanie Fischer, Claire Ibarra, and Betsy Kolt. These four artists uniquely explore the “landscapes of the mind” through intuition and improvisation expressed in color, shape, and texture.
Daniel Bahn
These paintings are inspired by the shifting light, color, and energy of the Sea of Cortez (Mar de Cortés), where the desert meets the water in a constantly changing environment. Throughout the day, the landscape transforms—deep blues give way to greens, while traces of copper and sand move through the shore and sea. I focus on capturing the feeling of being there: the movement of the tide, the dusty amber light on the horizon, and the sense of space and openness. Each piece is built through layers of color and gesture, creating depth and texture that reflect the rhythms of the coastline.
This environment has shaped how I see and respond to color and texture. These works are an invitation to pause, take in that atmosphere, and experience a moment of connection to a place that is both powerful and serene.
Melanie Fischer
When I go for a walk in my mind, I sometimes find places that make me dream about landscapes that are both real and surreal. I seek to make space for art with a beginners mind by looking inward with no judgment. When my inner critic comes unannounced, I invite them to sit and play. The art I create comes from that space of joining the inner and outer worlds.
Over the last few months I have been searching for something different in my art practice. This show is about shifting my point of view. How do I see the same thing, but in different ways? I began to look at how to express the shapes I see using different artistic methods. Acrylic as a medium is new to me. I find it to be both joyful and challenging. These paintings are stylized, representational, abstract and mixed-media. I invite you to walk with me on my new path.
Claire Ibarra
A mindscape is a panorama reflecting a person’s imagination, memories, emotions, and thoughts. It is a visual space connecting us to our inner world. My images are an invitation to enter and wander to discover unfolding mysteries outside and within ourselves. I hope these otherworldly landscapes invite introspection, as well as bring the viewer a sense of tranquility, in an often chaotic world.
My images reflect the four sacred elements: earth, water, air, and fire. There is powerful medicine found in trees and plants, bodies of water, and the sky in its many forms. When I am in nature, I look to them for healing and the gifts they share. I have always been drawn to storytelling as a means of exploring and illuminating the human condition. My artistic life began with writing fiction, but I found myself moving toward poetry as I strove to distill narratives to their bare and essential essence. It seems that photography was the next logical step in that process. I use composite photography to create visual narratives, and I always have a particular fondness for the strange beauty of landscapes.
Betsy Kolt
“Improvisation… in Art & Life” is a collection of mixed-media paintings and assemblages that explore the interplay between jazz improvisation and abstract art, while also engaging with political and social themes of feminism, social justice, and protest. The work serves as a form of resistance—a visual act of protest that challenges conformity and injustice. I have always been drawn to the process of abstracting narrative and emotion, building layered abstract improvisations through the use of bold color, layered patterns, ephemera and found objects.
Several paintings are inspired by jazz legends-- Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock-- known for pushing against convention and societal barriers with joy and fearlessness. In creating this series, I literally painted, scraped and spattered to the beat and tempo of these jazz standards, while reflecting on their real impact on civil rights and de-segregation.
The pair of vintage wood panels “Deconstructed Dowry” was influenced by the assemblage techniques of Loise Nevelson and other mid-century artists. Inspired by a collection of antique piano keys, vintage photos, and domestic cast-offs (thimbles, baby shoes, spools, sea shells, etc.), I created a totemic narrative symbolizing early 20 th century women’s hopes, dreams, disappointments and restrictions.
“Trail of Tears” and “Their Land” is a pair of mixed media collage on paper, which contrasts native American’s beliefs of land as a communal living entity, with government’s forced displacement and appropriation of their lands. The cross symbols used throughout the works juxtapose indigenous peoples reverence for the four directions or medicine wheel, with Christian efforts to forcibly assimilate them into white culture and the resulting genocide.
The Opening Reception for this exhibition is Friday, April 24, 5-9pm
Additional events include:
First Friday: May 1, 6-9 pm
Artist Talk: Saturday, May 9, 3-5pm
Art Appreciators Night: Friday, May 15, 6-9pm
Last Look: Sunday, May 17, 11-4pm
Banner Image: Melanie Fischer, “Daydream.” 36 x 36.