A Tubac gallery is showcasing the abstract artworks of Leslie Miller and Christina Spann at the “Four Takes” exhibit, open until January 3.
The K. Newby Gallery and Sculpture Garden in Tubac is hosting the new exhibit and is hoping to “challenge, inspire, and redefine the boundaries of perception,” through four unique voices.
Tubac local Leslie Miller creates her contemporary works out of her studio using oil paint and cold wax as her medium. Her journey with art began in 2014 with independent study, which she has continued through other accomplished artists. Miller said she uses art to explore individualism crafted through values, experiences and influences.
“I am fascinated by the many layers, unique marks, and ability to create transparency and opacity that hints toward the human condition,” Miller said. “Working intuitively, each piece ebbs and flows through various layers that could not be achieved in one pass. In the same way, people are built from many different layers of influence and experiences.”
Miller is also very active in the community and is a former director of the Tubac School of Fine Art, which is the adult education division of Tubac Center of the Arts. In 2016 she was honored with the Master Meed award by popular vote from Tubac Center of the Arts. Miller’s work and her workshops can be found on her website.
Spann lives and works in Tucson where she has explored many art styles since graduating from ASU with a BFA in fine arts drawing and painting and doing master’s work in printmaking at UC Santa Barbara. In making fluid and fiery marks, sometimes using nature as a guidepost, Spann’s artwork has evolved into abstract emotional expression.
“It feels musical to me, like jazz; improvising and depicting movement in unexpected directions by layering, erasing, and exposing a composition,” she said. “This is a multi-sensory physical dialogue with the various art media within my reach, and often feels like I am conducting a symphony.”
Spann will have six pieces featured in the exhibit, including four paintings, Melange 1, 2, 3, and 4, that will be installed together as one grouping to create a quadriptych. The intent of this artist's work is to stir the soul through the depiction of emotions and her response to nature.
“My paintings lay bare the breadth and depth of human emotion sometimes thunderous and sometimes subtle. Applications of paint, brush, and line create two and three-dimensional depictions of my soul responding to nature,” she said. “A tension is created between the quiet, close-up drawings and the bold abstract forms that float in and out of a single space, resulting in an expressive yet precarious balance.”
Spann also exhibits her work in Tucson and has three paintings on display in the lobby gallery of the Miraval Resort.
The K. Newby Gallery and Sculpture Garden is a vibrant art space showcasing a diverse collection of contemporary art, including paintings, sculptures, and mixed-media pieces. Located in the heart of Tubac, the gallery features both local and nationally recognized artists, offering visitors a unique cultural experience. The accompanying sculpture garden offers an outdoor setting where visitors can enjoy large-scale sculptures amidst the beautiful desert landscape. For more information, visit newbygallery.com.
