Memory is vulnerable.  It is shaped by emotion, captured by photography, imprinted by the scent of a fragrant flower, spun by a story heard at a party when young.  It is set like concrete yet is as fragile as a spider’s web. When paying attention, we are called to notice the nuances of the edge of the dawn, the dip of the sun and the perfection of the full moon. 

Co-curated by Cynthia Winings and Josephine Burr, Echolocation brings together the work of five artists—Dana Clancy, Grace DeGennaro, Crystalle Lacouture, Isabel Riley, and Josephine Burr—who each engage in sustained, contemplative practices that reveal patterns both sacred and mundane. The exhibition draws its name from the biological phenomenon of echolocation: the way animals use sound to navigate the world. Here, it becomes a metaphor for how these artists use material, rhythm, and repetition to orient themselves within—and reflect upon—the larger forces that shape our lives.

Discover the fascinating intersection of visual art and filmmaking in this insightful conversation with artist Isabel Riley. Host Damien Swaby delves into Isabel's unique role in bringing art to the screen through her work with Art for Film. Explore how her paintings and artistic vision contribute to the atmosphere and storytelling of film and television productions.

Structure anchors Isabel Riley’s paintings, amid colors like blossoms and, perhaps most importantly, space. Capricious, playful space, like a child darting around in a game of hide-and-seek. Isabel’s gestures create a sense of motion and instability. Even the structures – something to cling to, guideposts like the lead lines in a stained glass window – sometimes smear and cloud.

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All of the work included in write me a picture addresses various ways of expressing the graphemes and vocabulary of our time.  In our culture we have the commonality of traditional written, verbal and visual scripts to help us communicate efficiently and clearly.  We rely on conventional prose, small talk, Q and A, compliments and critiques, infographics, pictographs and linear messaging.  This artwork offers a look into how each artist’s mind filters and deconstructs information and invents distinctly unique orthography and poetics.  Words and pictures often mingle synesthetically as ideas travels from one sensory domain to the next during the creative process.

I’m so very pleased to have a variety of prints permanently installed in the guest rooms at Blue Vista Motor Lodge.  This was a wonderful collaboration between myself, my friend and owner Stella Downie, and Jameson and Thompson Picture Framers who printed, framed, and installed the work. The work we chose complements the stunning mountaintop setting of the hotel in Florida, MA just a few miles from North Adams and the wonderful Mass Moca Museum. Book a trip now!

In this wonderful feature that the talented David Walega shot and produced for the New Bedford Light, I talk about my inspirations and process in the context of making art in my loft in this historic city. Full article can be viewed here.

I was very lucky to be a fellow at the Pouch Cove Foundation Newfoundland for the month of February 2023. This was a privilege and an adventure. This slice of heaven is perched on a cove on the edge of the world that is lit with the clearest skies and filled with the endless sea.

Excited to share a good review of the group show, Elevated! Read the review at Big Red and Shiny here.