I drove downtown—yesterday afternoon—to attend the closing reception of "Serene la Femme" at Palette & Chisel. The exhibition presented the figurative work of Photographer; Ted Preuss, Sculptors; Nancy Pirri & Audry Cramblit, and Painter; Mary Qain. I have worked with Preuss and Pirri, on a number of occasions, and recently became aware of Cramblit when she entered—and was juried into—the "From Nature” exhibition at Gallery 180 of The Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.
The Palette & Chisel exhibition space is housed in one of Chicago's old mansions, located in the heart of the Gold Coast. The building—and its quant but lush garden-covered entry—remains beautiful and inviting.
As I entered the exhibition space, I found myself focused on the works of Audry Cramblit and Nancy Pirri. I was intrigued with Cramblit's attention to detail. In the piece shown above, Cramblit seems to define the character and attitude of a beauty queen who's performance has concluded. Tipped crown and cigarette in hand, she finds that there is no longer a need to present herself as a "lady". Cramblit’s illustrative pieces are charming but my preference was for her abstract torso studies. The pattern-covered forms attract the viewer by recognition, and hold their attention with the use of complex and intriguing patterns.
Both Cramblit and Preuss are currently included in Gallery 180’s “From Nature” exhibition, which continues through July 24.
Torsos by Audry Cramblit
