Alexander/Heath Contemporary
is pleased to announce
an exhibition by local Artist

LESLIE SANTAPAUL

“Combustible Botanical”

May 3 through June 1, 2024

OPENING RECEPTION:
Art-by-Night Friday, May 3rd, 2024, 5-9 pm

CLOSING RECEPTION:
Saturday, June 1, 2024, 1-4 pm

A writer, by education and occupation, I turned to art to express what language
cannot convey–the expansive, energetic force that animates life. The swirling,
circular forms in my work as well as the juxtaposition of vibrant warm and cool
colors suggest action and change.

Three domains have influenced my work over the last 20 years: the plant
kingdom (I was a landscape designer,) the ocean (scuba diver) and fire–
(pyromaniac?)

Fire can be comforting, horrifying or re-generative–the slow burn of
de-composition. All life contains this fire or its potential. The transformation of
matter to energy sustains life and decay after life.

When I discovered yupo paper,* a slick material made from re-cycled plastic, I
tried, in succession: watercolor, thinned acrylic paint, and recently, alcohol and
acrylic inks. The flow and unpredictable movement of paint or ink on this new,
“paper” gave me the means to express the transparent, vibrating essence of my
subconscious constructs. A hip young artist once called my work, “low-brow
surrealism.” I think of this as symbolic representations  with alien overtones.

My paintings never start from a photo reference or from a drawing. I apply
shapes of color to the paper, work the wet ink or acrylic with a variety of tools and
sooner or–sometimes much later–the subject appears. My delight is in the
discovery.

*Thanks to: Nancy Stellhorn for her introduction to yupo paper and for the
encouragement to explore, Frieda Nichols for giving me a quantity of the heavy
PVC paper which I currently use and Genesis Chapman for showing me how
beautiful fire can be and for suggesting acrylic ink.

The exhibition is on display through June 1st
Access is available during special exhibition hours or by appointment only:
Contact Ed Hettig:
hettig@alexander-heath.com or call 607.226.2473.