Ari Leflein - Curatorial Rationale

Whether stepping into nature and indulging in vibrant colors or delving into passions, discovery satisfies a sense of curiosity. This artwork collection is meant to entice viewers to long for discovery and understand the intangible value of discovering deeper appreciation. While the imagery’s intent is to convey meaning and promote discovery, a nuanced color palette was utilized to evoke emotion. My pieces vary stylistically, yet they are grounded in principles of Impressionism, such as the idea of illustrating not just a scene, but a feeling. Claude Monet, a leading Impressionist, characterized his work saying, “These landscapes of water and reflection have become an obsession for me. It is beyond my strength as an old man, and yet I want to render what I feel.” These words impassion me to create art imbued with natural beauty as I am moved to emphasize the endless intricacies that make simple scenes extraordinary. Emphasis on details such as color and light serve to portray the surreal nature of the moment. By highlighting these qualities, I hope to not just recreate a scene, but invoke the unique experience one feels when discovering these moments. With these intentions in mind, I hope viewers experience a journey through my work and understand the gratification of looking deeper to discover wondrous things.

To address the theme of discovery, and further nurture curiosity, I utilize the motifs of light, pathways, and movement. Light, an important motif in my work, has the ability to illuminate and combat the darkness that suppresses discovery. Further, light reveals color and emphasizes the beauty that was always present, yet concealed. The motif of pathways promotes the importance of visualizing the path forward and striving for personal growth and discovery. Pathways are important to these works, highlighting that despite obstacles there is a path forward to discovery. Lastly, I extend the motif of pathways by utilizing the motif of movement to reinforce the value of striving forward and discovering.

In order to incorporate light, I often gravitate toward sunsets, which symbolize hope and instill faith. In my painting entitled Saturated Sunset, I utilize oil paint for its rich, deep, vibrant quality. Oil paints create smooth transitions and movement through texture, while also creating stark contrasts that capture the mesmerizing nature of the sun’s light as it overpowers the surrounding darkness. The use of light bulbs and candles in my work showcase the manner in which light interacts with and reveals color. I carefully layered glazes to ensure that my ceramic pieces would be intricate and invite the viewer to experience the complexity of color. In my piece entitled Illuminating Darkness, I utilize color with the motif of pathways. This mixed-media piece highlights the way light reveals color and combats darkness. Light, symbolic of persistence, innovation, and the pursuit of discovery, illuminates a pathway and shows how even in darkness a pathway to a brighter future can be discovered. Lastly, the motif of movement is evident in my piece Electric Blue Fountain. As the water cascades over the vibrant blue colors, there is a sense of simplicity that promotes an understanding of the value in discovering the natural beauty all around. My work Blossoming Color also highlights movement and the ways a composition of colors interact and lead to the discovery of something new.

One overarching purpose of these works is to encourage discovery. This collection is organized to guide the viewer forward to discover the intricacies of each work. The first piece is Illuminating Darkness, its purpose is to draw the viewer in and send them on a journey. From there the idea of forward motion and movement continue to carry the viewer through the collection via figures in motion and moving water. The series of sunsets implore viewers to experience the scene and indulge in the concept of discovery. Lastly, the exploration of color culminates in the viewer imbibing the rich red hues of sangria, the celestial violet hues of the lidded vessel, and the textured blue of the vase, which all delight the senses. The last work, Cascading Colors, sums up the collection by highlighting the manner in which light reveals color and by showcasing the cascades or movement of interacting colors.