A Decade's Odyssey
works by Hans Petersen
Center for the Arts | Dalton Gallery
121 E. Main St. Rock Hill, SC
EXHIBITION
January 12, 2024 - February 10, 2024
RECEPTION
Thursday, January 18, 2024
5:30 PM
HOLIDAY CLOSURES
January 15, 2024 | Closed 10 - 4 PM
SPONSORED BY
O'Darby's Fine Wine & Spirits
Rock Hill Coca-Cola Bottling Company
DALTON GALLERY
In Hans Petersen's artistic exploration, each series serves as a distinctive narrative, employing unique and recurring graphic elements that interlace to form a unified theme in his work. Through purposeful choices in color, form, and juxtaposition, Hans strives to elicit a sense of awe and contemplation, inviting the viewers to unveil the distinctive stories concealed in each canvas.
HANS PETERSEN
ARTIST STATEMENT
In Petersen's artistic exploration, each series becomes a visual narrative characterized by distinctive and repetitive graphic elements, creating a cohesive thread that ties his work together. His artistic intent is to engage viewers not only on a surface level but to encourage a deeper exploration of the subtleties within each composition. Through the deliberate choices of color, form, and juxtaposition, his work seeks to evoke a sense of wonder and introspection, inviting observers to discover the unique stories embedded within the intricate details of every canvas.
For instance, the series Pure Joy where women with rounded triangular heads and lips, adorned in tones of red, may at first been mistaken for the same image, differing only in color and the direction of linear graphic elements that form their figures. Yet, it's the careful interplay of colors and the deliberate movement of these linear elements that breathe individuality into each woman. The tilt of a head, subtly different lips, and the interplay of flowing and straight linear elements become the nuanced brushstrokes defining the unique personalities within "Pure Joy."
In the realm of Eye Candy the canvas is a playground for simple organic shapes, their overlapping creating a serene illusion of suspended elements. However, upon closer inspection, the positioning of miniature circles within each organic form unveils a captivating visual symphony. These tiny circles become portals to a Rorschach-inspired world, capturing fleeting impressions of people, animals, and whatever the viewer's imagination conjures.
Petersen's art aim to spark curiosity and introspection. Each canvas serves as a narrative, inviting viewers to unravel stories embedded in the subtle nuances, fostering a connection between the art and the observer's imagination.
BIO
Hans Petersen is an accomplished Abstract Expressionist Artist based in Rock Hill, SC. Graduating from the Royal Danish Academy of Art with a focus on architecture and graphic design from 1969 to 1974, Hans laid the foundation for a versatile creative career. In 2005 he established HansPetersenArt marking the beginning of a prolific period of artistic expression characterized by a meticulous attention to detail and an expert command of color palettes.
Prior to establishing himself as a prominent artist, Hans held the position of Creative Director at I Claudia Advertising and Design in New York, NY, from 1979 to 1991. Here, his clientele included major entities such as Philip Morris, UNICEF, and The State of New York Economic and Transportation Council, attesting to his versatility in managing diverse projects.
Beyond the canvas, Hans has left an indelible mark in prestigious exhibitions and has been the recipient of numerous honors, including the first-place award at the Dalton Gallery Arts Council of York County 33rd Juried Competition in August 2022 and the Best of Show Painter at the Westport 39th Arts Festival in July 2012. His work has been featured in prominent galleries, including Jennifer Balcos Gallery in Atlanta, IV Gallery in Los Angeles, and Castle Fitzjohns Gallery in New York, among others.
His solo exhibitions, such as Women & Abstracts at Jennifer Balcos Gallery and ART-I-TECTURE at Hunter Gallery, have garnered acclaim, while his accolades, including the Art Expo New York SOLO Artist Achievement Award, reflect his artistic excellence.
Represented by galleries across the United States, Hans continues to leave an indelible mark in the art world.
PERIMETER GALLERY
I Saw You in My Dreams
By Emily Shelton
EXHIBITION | January 12 - February 1, 2024
RECEPTION | Thursday, January 18, 2024 | 5:30 PM
Webpage | emcshelton.weebly.com
Instagram | @em_ily_sh
ARTIST STATEMENT
Emily Shelton
I Saw You in My Dreams, invites you to explore a world in which the ethereal and earthly converge on canvas. This series of dreamscapes creates a new way of seeing the world, combining fragmented threads of dreams with the raw beauty of nature. Within these artworks, dreams and natural wonders come together to craft a narrative that transcends our known reality, offering a glimpse into a realm where the fantastical and the tangible harmoniously coexist. Each painting acts as a window into the subconscious, where surreal imagery melds with the vibrant landscapes of our waking world. Through this fusion, a deeper narrative emerges—an ode to the interconnectedness of our own subconscious within the vast web of nature. Join me as we unravel the shared secrets and hidden connections that transcend the boundaries between dreamscapes and the natural world.
BIO
Emily Shelton is an interdisciplinary artist and educator currently pursuing her Masters of Fine Arts degree at Winthrop University. Her artistic journey has been an exploration of unifying themes, with a particular focus on nature and empathy expressed through a wide variety of media. Driven by a passion for interconnectedness, Emily intertwines the beauty of nature with the human experience in her artwork. Her creative process transcends boundaries, merging various mediums to craft experiences that evoke contemplation and connection.
Through her work, Emily fosters dialogue on shared connections and our responsibility as co-inhabitants of our world. As an artist and educator, she aims to spark curiosity and reflection, inviting viewers to consider their place within the interconnected tapestry of art, nature, and humanity.