Natural Tendencies
featuring Tomoko Abe, Natale Adgnot & Christy Sheppard Knell
July 13 to August 8
Opening Reception: Saturday July 13 from 4 to 6pm
Upstate Art Weekend: Thursday July 18 to Sunday July 21
The Gallery at Yellow Studio is proud to present "Natural Tendencies," a group exhibition featuring four artists: Tomoko Abe, Natale Adgnot, Allison Belolan, and Christy Sheppard Knell. The exhibition, selected as part of this year's Upstate Art Weekend, will be on view from July 13 through August 8, 2024, with an opening reception on Saturday, July 13, from 4 to 6 pm.
"Natural Tendencies" delves into the complex relationship between humanity, nature, and perception, exploring themes of transience, permanence, and the influence of bias on our understanding of the world. Tomoko Abe, Natale Adgnot, Allison Belolan, and Christy Sheppard Knell employ diverse materials and experimental approaches to investigate our connection to the environment, the fragility of existence, innate and acquired biases, faulty perception, the interplay between the ephemeral and the enduring, and the balance between what is designed and destined. Through their thought-provoking works, these artists encourage viewers to contemplate the intricacies of our subjective experiences and our relationship with the natural world.
The Gallery at Yellow Studio is thrilled to participate in Upstate Art Weekend, which will take place from July 18 to 21, 2024. This annual event celebrates the vibrant art scene in the Hudson Valley and Catskills regions, offering visitors a chance to explore talented artists' work in various settings. Special programming with the exhibiting artists will take place throughout the weekend at Yellow Studio.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Tomoko Abe
Tomoko Abe, an Edinburgh College of Art graduate with a First Class Honour in painting, has exhibited her work domestically and internationally, including solo shows at Ginza Gallery House in Tokyo, Japan, and A.I.R. Gallery in Brooklyn, New York. Recent group shows include Kino Saito Arts Center and Bla-Bla Projektraum gallery. She received the Bullseye Glass residency in 2018 and the UrbanGlass studio residency in 2020. Inspired by nature's decay and regeneration, her work spans painting, papermaking, ceramics, glass, and mixed-media installations. Abe's work has been featured in Brooklyn Rail, Tussle Magazine, 500 Raku, New York Times, and Ceramics Art and Perception. She grew up in Japan, the US, and the UK before settling in the greater New York area. www.tomokoabe.com
Natale Adgnot
Natale Adgnot, a Franco-American artist, uses abstract sculpture and installation to explore cognitive bias and faulty perception. Best known for wall sculptures made of painted thermoplastic, she incorporates materials emblematic of her personal history. Adgnot earned a BFA in graphic design and studied fashion, which led her to focus on sculpture. Her work has been featured in exhibitions at The Society for Domestic Museology, Established Gallery, Myta Sayo Gallery, and Midori-so. Group exhibitions include SPRING/BREAK Secret Show, "Black & White" at BWAC, and "Sacred Pause, Sacred Fertilizer" at the Nevelson Chapel. Adgnot lives and works in Brooklyn and New Paltz, New York. www.nataleadgnot.com
Allison Belolan
Allison Belolan draws inspiration from her environment, experimenting with repurposed and handcrafted materials for her mixed-media abstract landscapes. Her latest artwork features printmaking processes integrated into these works. Belolan's art appears in fairs and galleries throughout the United States, including The Bruce Museum Fine Arts Fair, where she won an award for artistic excellence. She studied Printmaking at the Rhode Island School of Design and earned a Master of Arts in Teaching Art Education from the School of Visual Arts. Recent exhibitions include “The Every Woman Biennial” at LaMama Galleria and “Surroundings: Sewn & Torn” at Yellow Studio. www.allisonbelolan.com
Christy Sheppard Knell
Christy Sheppard Knell has worked in encaustic painting for nearly a decade alongside her career in art direction and graphic design. She founded the coworking and event space HudCo in Dobbs Ferry, New York, where her work is on display. Knell founded the design agency Knell&Co after working at publications such as WIRED, Vanity Fair, Martha Stewart Living, and Architectural Digest. The Society of Publication Designers, the American Society of Magazine Editors, the Art Directors Club, and the Type Directors Club have recognized her design work. She continues to explore encaustic painting while running her successful design agency. www.cskwax.com
ABOUT UPSTATE ART WEEKEND
Upstate Art Weekend (UPAW) is a connective annual event for residents and tourists, celebrating Upstate New York's cultural vibrancy. The fifth edition of UPAW will run Thursday, July 18, through Sunday, July 21, 2024, spanning ten counties in the Catskills Mountains and Hudson Valley. UPAW launched in 2020 with 23 participants, expanding to over 145 this year, welcoming thousands of visitors to the region. The participants comprise local arts organizations, galleries, museums, residencies, and creative projects, mixed with temporary exhibitions and events staged especially for UPAW. www.upstateartweekend.org
Programming
Thursday July 18 at 10am: Upcycling with the Sun: Cyanotype Workshop with Tomoko Abe during UPAW
Sunday July 21 at 2pm: Carve, Print, Repeat: Beginner Relief Printing Workshop with Allison Belolan during UPAW
