Jun 30th, 2020 • 5 minute read
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The Guest Curation: Emily McElwreath
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We are thrilled to welcome Emily McElwreath of Sidel & McElwreath Art Consultants as this week's guest curator. As one half of the Sidel & McElwreath duo, Emily is developing a community of art makers, thinkers, and collectors. Emily utilizes her expertise and knowledge that comes from placing Ellsworth Kellys and Richard Diebenkorns in private collections to help develop emerging artists careers –– and we here at Art in Res think that's pretty awesome. Doing everything they can to help the careers of living artists, Sidel & McElwreath knows a large part of that means educating their client-base about art and art history. Same here!
So let's see what we can learn from an expert like Emily about some of our Art in Res artists and artworks!
Emily's Curatorial Statement
I believe in an open curatorial approach to allow the fluidity of artwork and selection to create a varied whole. These six works chosen from the collection stood out for me as working nicely together as a group. A story waiting to be told of the female psyche, in addition to elements of domesticity and nature. In short, "these are a few of my favorite things"... fantastical rainbows, Metallica, classical interiors, The Cloisters, chocolate cake and the female nude.
More Please!
Mollie's paintings sure do deliver the nostalgia. Raised in her grandparents restaurant, these paintings tell stories of her childhood. The thick application of paint adds to the delicious effect of this darling kitchen still life. More, please!
Mollie Douthit is an American representational painter. Her small scale oil paintings depict images of food, home, and memory.
I put objects of importance on this yellow chair and paint them to make me joyful. ––Mollie Douthit
Ice Rainbow
The title is everything. What's an ice rainbow? This –– and I love it.
Melanie Reese creates abstract, minimal, color-based paintings exploring the act of painting itself through various techniques of layering. Layering occurs through repeated actions of outlining forms by ‘painting’ the negative space with liquid masking tape—a technique adapted from her printmaking experience. The shape of each form is not only informed by the canvas size, but by the way in which the edge of the form interacts with the canvas edge.
Brisk. Soothing. Subtle. –– Mel Reese
Less is More
Less isn't always more in fine art, but this is a perfect example of when it is. Mel's figure drawings caught my eye, immediately delivering a contemporary Jean Cocteua vibe. The female body is celebrated, the line work is gorgeous –– need I say more?
Melanie's earlier figurative work was very informative to her current abstract paintings and the relationship between the two can be seen in her fascination with line and edge.
Symbolic Green
Green can be seen as a symbol of restoration and renewal. Camille's brushstrokes and the fact that it is a painting of a garden surrounding the Met's Cloisters––one of my favorite places––makes this work really stand out.
Camille Warmington is a painter whose work reflects on artifacts and their connection to memory and mortality, place and presence. Dedicated to the art and architecture of medieval Europe, the Met Cloisters surround a garden, lovingly planted according to horticultural information found in medieval poetry and treatises and, garden documents, and medieval works of art such as tapestries, stained-glass windows, and column capitals.
I’ve always loved New York City. Now that I have two daughters living there, I go several times a year. Looking at art is my favorite thing to do in the city and during one visit, I ventured to the top of Manhattan to The Met Cloisters. –– Camille Warmington
Homage to Matisse
Before even seeing the title or subject matter, the distorted perspective and flatness of Mark's painting is a clear & wonderful homage to Matisse.
Mark Milroy was born in St. Paul, Minnesota and grew up in St. Thomas, Ontario. He lives and works in Brooklyn, NY and has two boys named Emerson and Angus.
Colorful Stories
Claire Price is a New Zealand born artist living and working in New York City. An accomplished singer-songwriter, she was signed to Universal Music (France) and Festival /Mushroom (Australia), released numerous EP’s and been featured on soundtracks to film, tv & advertising. Painting took a singular focus in 2015, which coincided with the birth of her son and her relocation from Paris to the United States. Her studio is located in BedStuy, Brooklyn where she works almost exclusively in a figurative style inspired by vintage photographs and a disappearing natural world.
About Emily McElwreath
Co-founder of Sidel & McElwreath, Emily is equipped with over fifteen years of experience as an independent curator and art educator; she also boasts a background in sales. Thanks to her time as Director of Communication and Education at the Brant Foundation Art Study Center, Emily demonstrates the unique ability to understand the art world from both the point of view of the artist and the audience. This skill is continually perfected through extensive involvement in art education: throughout her career, Emily has organized multiple programs, lectures, and panels, featuring distinguished artists, on university campuses. In addition, Emily has had the opportunity to share her expertise with students of Sotheby's Education as a guest lecturer. With an MA from Purchase College in Art History with a Concentration in Contemporary Art Criticism and an Art Business Certification from Christie's Education, Emily McElwreath possesses diverse, real-world experience and formal academic training. As a result, Sidel & McElwreath clients benefit from her capacity to interpret the art market from multiple perspectives.
Curation by Emily McElwreathVirtual installations courtesy of ArtPlacer