series of 8 framed works, various sizes | cut paper and acrylic paint | 2021 | Solo Exhibition | In the Fold | Nancy Toomey Fine Art | San Francisco
Sunset Crystal Fold is a series of eight framed works of cut paper and acrylic paint for my solo exhibition In the Fold. These objects depict networks of organic and geometric formations within deep atmospheric color. Meticulous cutting permeates the acrylic and paper substrate, creating a meshwork between substance and nothingness. The richly painted surface of hard-edged sprayed-on color gives way to a reticulation of cutout voids. The interplay between delineated form and emptiness becomes the essence of the work — overall composition realized by the select removal of the picture plane.
The dismantlement of two dimensions produces a depth within the flat object, allowing light to pass. This produces a spectrum of background shapes with colorized shadows — light bouncing off the hidden neon-colored backside. Conducting in-studio crystal-making experiments, I played with the oxidized natural formations that took shape as the materials cooled. The playful jumping-off point generated and integrated phantasms of nature into the art making.