The Grenning Gallery is pleased to present three varied talents, Marc Dalessio, Tina Orsolic Dalessio, and Emily Persson.
This exhibit will hang from Saturday, April 19th, through Sunday May 18th.
Please join us for an Opening Reception on Saturday, April 19th, 5:30 – 7:00 PM.
Tina Orsolic-Dalessio (b. 1983, Croatia) is branching out of her traditional approach to painting, by taking command of paint and her passion for naturalism and channelling it into the realm of abstraction and surrealism. Having graduated from the Florence Academy of Art in 2018, Orsolic is classically trained and has excelled in capturing natural realism in her paintings. These stylized figurative paintings aim to communicate more directly the ideas Orsolic has expressed in her work in the past; using shape, color, and gesture to communicate emotion and achieve a dreamlike atmosphere unbound by the limits of realism. By integrating the figure directly into her landscapes, Orsolic holds a light to our spiritual connection to nature.
In her artist statement, she notes, “This reemerging naturalistic movement that I consider myself a part of, rests on humility and acknowledgement of how precious, beautiful and fragile our world is. As an artist who considers it her mission to inhale the beauty that surrounds her, and exhale it as art, I hope to gently remind others of that same truth regarding the miracle and delicacy of human condition.“ Orsolic sheds light on her painting, Dance, depicting a woman in a long, striped dress, her skirts flaring in her movement, surrounded by a rich blue forest grove and bright gold sky. Flecks of golden light and light-blue stream down around the figure, mixing with the patterns of her skirt, making her one with the landscape.
Again, Orsolic places herself in ornate golden settings in both Irises and Dreams; in which stylistic details remind us of the Vienna Secession; the late 19th-Century movement famously led by Gustav Klimt, which aimed to break free from traditional art institutions rigid historical styles, enforce a certain open-mindedness, and reflect the spirit of the current time. Not only is the artist placed within these decorated surroundings, but she is dressed to the nines in patterned dresses. In Irises, she stands amidst a flowering of blue irises; a blue that is replicated in her underdress peeking-out along her collarbone. One could consider that she is a blooming iris herself. In Dreams the figure appears to be gracefully falling backward; at ease, as if she’s sure she will make a soft landing. She is set within a delightfully obscure setting, where it appears gemstones are raining from the sky and the world is made of wheat. Along with recognizing the powerful influence of artists that came before her, Orsolic also considers the impact of other art forms, such as music. The coupled paintings, “Clair de Lune” and “Reverie” are in reference to the sensations evoked by these classical compositions of the same names, illustrating through abstract shape and color the synesthetic effect music can have on the listener.
The final self-portrait of this series, Chrysalis, is unlike the previous paintings both in shape and in premise, standing at over 5 feet tall and only 20 inches wide. “In this painting, I am slowly emerging from a transitional state and into a version more free and more in tune with my ever-evolving self." This evolution can easily be traced from top to bottom of the composition. Up top, we see a realist portrait of the artist; her hair pulled tightly out of her face into a traditional bun atop her head. Her face is exquisitely rendered and captures her likeness in true naturalism. Behind her portrait, is a backdrop adorned with tiny red florets, as if the artist is standing in front of a mural or wallpaper. As our eye stems downward, it becomes unclear where the backdrop ends, as the red florets appear to gather around her shoulders and continue to blossom atop her yellow cape-dress. The further we descend, the larger the blossoms become, and once at the bottom’s edge, it appears a garden of green and red has been planted among a golden sky. This self-portrait encapsulates Orsolic’s decision to take her academic training beyond realist perfection. This whole series of paintings opens a much wider dialogue for the viewer to ponder.
One year after her first visit to the East End, Emily Persson (b. 1991, Melbourne) delivers luscious paintings of our locale as seen through her fresh eyes. Persson thoughtfully captured both the picturesque vistas and sweet microcosms of our environs; translating, and transmuting through her very specific and personal palette-knife technique. Her generosity with the paint and layering of colors emphasizes the forms of our local landscape in ways that remind us how beautiful Sag Harbor truly is.
Persson’s generous application of the paint not only draws us in, but also connects us to the artist's hand and, by extension, her presence in the scene itself. Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Persson’s genuine curiosity and appreciation for our East End landscape draws our attention to moments that we may often take for granted; the reflection of a docked boat in the water, the view of wind-rippled Peconic bay through blossoming flowers, a garden full of bright roses… Beauty that surrounds us even in the off season that, as we rush about our busy lives, Persson’s paintings ask us to slow down, to cherish, to stop and smell the roses.
In Solo Sailing Past Havens Beach Emily Persson presents a portrait of a long-standing native tree. This tree, a detail of the landscape easily overlooked, Persson chooses this as her focus; the attention itself drawing out the beauty of the mundane. Her handling of the paint can be studied throughout this composition. From the delineation of each blade of tall, dry grasses in the foreground, to the thick layers of woody bark coating the tree’s trunk. Smooth swathes of blue and white give the sky its vast domain, which is intersected by the reaching branches and the fluttering green leaves of our subject. Finally, a single sailboat rests along the water’s surface; reasserting our place in Sag Harbor.
In Roses on Roses, Persson’s skillful employment of the palette knife shines as she produces layer upon layer of rose petals, each repetitious mark rippling throughout the painting in similar effect. Her cohesive style unites the composition, creating a vibrant impression of light, shadow, and the beauty of spring. The tactility of Persson’s paintings introduces an unexpected and engaging element to these familiar scenes of the local Sag Harbor landscape.
Marc Dalessio (b.1972, California) is one of the world's leading plein air painters and is known internationally for his supreme skill and passion for capturing the present. This year, we are lucky to receive two studio paintings of Montauk’s cliffs, and of Main Street Sag Harbor. Furthermore, we will unveil new plein air paintings from his travels around Europe, from Italy, Spain, and France. Marc Dalessio dedicates his focus to light, color, and the subtle beauty of his subjects.
His plein air landscapes, which range in subject from exotic locations around the world to his own backyard, attempt to capture both the present and the history of the environment, touching our soul with his own unique view. In “Mont-Saint-Michel” he turns his attention to this historic sanctuary in Normandy, its stunning location off the north-western coast of France. In this painting, the eponymous landmark sits a journey away from his vantage point, largely observing the open land around it. In all his works, his dedication to capturing the light, color, and the subtlety of his subjects, enraptures even the most casual observer.
In Rome Sky, Dalessio toes an intriguing line, his landscapes both impressionistic, subtle, and soft, but also deeply real and accurate. His interest lies not on the landmarks of this historic city, but in the subtlety of light through the clouds above the complex geometry of the Italian cityscape overall. Here he combines elements of representation with what look playful brushstrokes, all the while, each precise mark is actively bringing the environment to life. This skillful act of knowing just how much detail to provide, and what to withhold, is a testament to Dalessio’s mastery through his 30+ years of painting.
In Marc Dalessio’s seascapes and horizons, we see his enthusiasm for deciphering all the effects of light. He recognizes that a bright sunny day is not just expressed through the sky, but the sparkles in the sand, the water, the glare of a far-off window. In The Beach at Saint-Malo, the sun is even reflected off the brims of beach umbrellas, drawing the light in the clouds down to the wet sand on the beach, and ones eye is drawn back to the white mark on the horizon in the far-off mountains. These details are what truly bring us into the scene, the sea air, the breeze, the smell of sunscreen, all of which is shared with us through Dalessio’s sharp eye, and his passion for painting out in nature.
