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"Spectrum"
Held Over - "Spectrum" Brooke Westlund and Alex Achaval
Brooke Westlund
Held Over - Saturday - May 4, 2019

    We are pleased to hold over several works by  Seattle artists and friends, Brooke Westlund and Alex Achaval, titled  "Spectrum"

Westlund has been a regular gallery exhibitor for many  years with her Urban Seattle Scenes comprised of abstract paintings and  her city photography and we are pleased to offer for the first time,  the Mixed Media portrait works by Alex Achaval.

Brooke Westlund  and Alex Achaval are both unique and lucky in the fact that both of them  have art studios in Seattle near each other.

Their styles and  approaches are quite opposite but when exhibited together they flow and  contrast beautifully. This will be the 3rd major duo exhibit the two  have participated in together.

Westlund will be exhibiting her  latest abstract paintings. They are a fine balance of chaos vs.  simplicity, harsh vs. soft, and a bit ethereal.

Alex Achval is  new to our gallery and we are excited to be exhibiting his newest works  incorporating his signature style of found objects and loose pieces into  his work.

His latest collection features more depth and concept behind the art, giving the viewer an interesting story line to analyze.

"My  work can be described in many different categories but I would simply  define it as contemporary portraiture. An added uncharacteristic element  or found object can also be seen throughout my work such as the  "paintbrush girl" series where I take classic wooden brushes and apply  them onto the canvas or wood panel before I begin.

This series of  3d painting was adapted after seeing an old truck that someone had  painted to blend in with the wall behind it in the Ballard neighborhood  of Seattle. I like to incorporate these objects into my work to  represent the obstacles we have to overcome in life. You have to either  paint over it like it was never there or embrace it. Not to mention it  challenges me, it works well and it's fun! You can see me at goodwill or  Value Village with my hands full of the weirdest combination of  objects."

"I try to develop forms that do not follow logical  criteria, but are based only on subjective associations and formal  parallels, which incite the viewer to make new personal associations. I  believe that is what art is all about. Your own associations. "I simply  love to paint and create something that will live forever, and that  something is usually pretty bizarre."          

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