Incidental Turnings | Marty Nash and Daryn Lowman

About the Artists:

Artist’s Statement: Marty Nash
In his Myths To Live By, Joseph Campbell describes the Buddha, “…as one ‘Thus Come,’ Tathagata. He has no more ‘meaning’ than a flower, than a tree; no more meaning than the universe; no more than either you or I.  And whenever anything is experienced that way, simply in and for itself, without reference to concepts, relevancies, or practical relationships, such a moment of sheer aesthetic arrest throws the viewer back for an instant upon his own existence without meaning; for he too simply is—‘thus come’—a vehicle of consciousness, like a spark flung out of the fire."

Aspiring to produce moments of aesthetic arrest of my own, the literal representation of the work seems less important than its abstract shape, gesture, occupation of space or speed of the mark making. I am continually inspired by a small cadre of familiar shapes, colors, and expressions of line—derived from both recognizable and non-literal references. The images I create illustrate my interest in giving presence to a form.

Guided primarily by intuition and happenstance, I am also affected by my relationship to others and the world. While the deep blacks and sinewy reds have always been a part of my work, their emphasis here seems a reflection of our current time, and perhaps a personal sense of loss. It is through shifting, movement, and transition, that I am able to uncover an essence which feels true.

Artist’s Biography
Marty Nash received her MFA in painting from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and her BFA in painting and drawing from the University of Minnesota. She was a founding member of WARM Gallery (Women’s Art Registry of Minnesota), and is currently a member of Form + Content Gallery. Her work has been in numerous one person and group exhibitions (including the Catherine G. Murphy Gallery, St. Catherine University; the Katherine E. Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota; Groveland Gallery, Minneapolis; Minneapolis College of Art and Design Gallery; Intermedia Arts, Minneapolis; Duluth Art Institute and the Harry M. Drake Gallery, St. Paul), with work in both public and private collections.

Artist’s Statement: Daryn Lowman
My work is an exploration of the incidental and the deliberate, a dance between control and chance. Each piece is a natural series of decisions, some intentional, others serendipitous, as I engage with materials and concepts over time. The process is as important as the final product, an instrument to the evolving relationship between idea and medium.

I find beauty in the unexpected, in the way a material responds to my touch or the way a concept morphs through experimentation. The studio is a space of constant play and discovery, where mistakes become opportunities and constraints breed creativity. It is here that I allow my instincts to guide me, trusting in the journey even when the destination is unclear.

Artist’s Biography
Daryn Lowman holds an MFA in ceramics and sculpture from the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities and a BA in ceramics from the University of Alaska–Fairbanks.  He lives and works in St. Paul, Minnesota and maintains a wood kiln at Night Owl Farm in North Branch, Minnesota.  He teaches classes in Ceramics, Design and Sculpture at Saint Paul Academy and Summit School.

Gallery Hours:
Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 12:00 – 6:00 pm and by appointment 

Image:  
Left - Marty Nash, Spirostomum, acrylic, pastel, 20 x 16 in.  
Right - Daryn Lowman, Ancient Surf, mixed media, 16h x 15w x 20d in