Ann Korologos Gallery presents Lightness of Spirit, a group exhibition exploring traditional subjects ­­– landscapes, wildlife, and farm animals ­– with levity, humor and affection represented by Donna Howell-Sickles, Sabrina Stiles, Diana Woods, and Paula Schuette Kraemer. The exhibition is on view June 2 through June 28, 2022 at Ann Korologos Gallery in Basalt, Colorado and virtually at www.korologosgallery.com.

“Symbolism and metaphor grace the imagery with messages of strength, resilience, persistence, dreams, and healing,” shares Ann Korologos, gallery owner. “And still, the joy and lightheartedness in these works celebrates levity and connection of life – personally and in the American West. These artists have lived full lives, followed their dreams, overcome immeasurable hardships, and this body of work by Donna Howell-Sickles, Paula Schuette Kraemeer, Sabrina Stiles, and Diana Woods shows the joie de vivre found in the face of it all, a sentiment we can all relate to.”

Donna Howell-Sickles was born in Gainesville, Texas, where she was raised on a 900-acre farm. The artist knew the true strength and joy of women in the ranching world, and yet, they were often depicted on the fringe of the culture: waiting for or watching the men come and go, gloriously, on horseback. Before long, powerful, joyous, exuberant, capable cowgirls became the central theme in her mixed-media artwork.

Paula Schuette Kraemer is Wisconsin- and Colorado-based printmaker working predominantly with drypoint monoprints and monotypes to capture special moments with wildlife and human experience. Her expressive style is reflected in the immediacy and spontaneity of drawing directly into a copper plate using a steel etching needle. Using symbolism and metaphor, the artist reflects her own life experiences facing grief and life’s uncertainties while celebrating the simple, but momentous, joys of life.

Sabrina Stiles is a Colorado-based pastel artist with an expressive style that lends itself to her chosen medium. Primarily a landscape artist, Stiles prefers to work en plein air, and draws inspiration from cloudy days that allow for softer light and feminine expression. Her keen observation and reverence for the beauty that surrounds her is evident in her work. She prefers to make her own surfaces: un-sanded board coated with oil paint, multi-media boards coated with gesso and pumice mixes, watercolor washes on paper, and more. 

Diana Woods is a painter and sculptor living in Western Colorado, inspired by her surroundings on the border of the Colorado National Monument. Her work reflects her deep belief in the interconnectedness of all things and the divine spirit in nature. Inspired by her grandfather’s “tall tales” of the West and her own experience on horses, Woods’ work is rich in narrative and allegorical imagery that illustrate the parallels between human experience and the natural world.

Lightness of Spirit is on view June 2 through June 28, 2022 ‘under the clocktower’ in historic downtown Basalt and virtually at korologosgallery.com. For questions, hours, or private viewing times, please call (970) 927-9668 or email art@korologosgallery.com.