The Locks Gallery in Washington Square displays the work of artist Pat Steir, inspired by nature, at November’s First Friday exhibition.
Art has the ability to embody a story that can be so graphic and telling that it forces someone to be captivated in the vivid use of a brush stroke and color. Often times, artists create and allow the viewer to make their own story from the art, but in some instances there are deliberate messages placed into pieces.
Pat Steir, a well-known artist and no stranger to the First Friday scene, will be previewing her fourth exhibit at Locks Gallery located at 600 Washington Square South starting at 5:30 p.m., alongside Ray Metzker.
Steir formally began her pursuit of art at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. where she received her B.F.A in 1962, according to the Phillips Collection. But Steir said that prior to this formal training, art had always been second nature.
“I have always thought I am an artist,” Steir said. “I have been making art since I was five years old.”
This set of paintings is inspired by events in Steir’s life and nature.
The exhibit also presents a technique where the canvas is divided vertically, which gives the patron a view of what appears to be two paintings merged into one.
The message Steir hopes each viewer receives is “that it’s wonderful to be alive.” The serene, bold and rich colors communicate the different vivacious moments we encounter in life.
Like many artists, Steir has worked with other mediums and said she appreciates the setting of First Friday, since it allows her work to be seen.
“I love to have eyes on my work, whether it’s one person seeing the work or thousands,” Steir said. “I am happy to have the work seen.”
In a range of places, paintings and etchings, lithographs and silk screens are featured in a variety of places around the world like The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, The National Gallery of Art in Washington and the Tate Gallery in London.
For those who aren’t really into art, First Friday hosts events for different tastes.
The Chemical Heritage Foundation, located at 315 Chestnut St., will be hosting an event that will take place hourly beginning at 5:15 p.m. They will be celebrating “fall’s iconic fruit: the apple.”
Like most First Friday events, it’s open and free to the public, and will include tastings of Ben Wenk’s apple cider and lectures on the science of making the drink.
Alexandra Olivier can be reached at alexandra.olivier@temple.edu.
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