Longtime local artist Anna Macrae is displaying 15 pieces of work in the art gallery at Blakely Hall through the end of March.
The hall is open for walk-ins to check out the gallery on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can also meet the artist at Blakely Hall during a gallery reception on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 12-2 p.m.
The gallery, titled “Fractured Landscapes,” builds on Macrae’s interest of making awkward marks on a textural surface. As a mixed medium artist, she prefers to work with oil point and recycled materials to create two- and three-dimensional installations.
“My intention is to honor the mundane and tell the story of moments in time, valuing those small pieces that make up the seemingly average – knowing that they are important and can be seen, if you know how to look,” Macrae said.
She plays with contrast and contradiction to create paintings referencing urban and rural landscapes. Focusing on beautiful and messy imperfections is her specialty.
“I am a process-driven artist,” Macrae said. “My work is generated in response to the materials that I use together with the techniques and processes that I have developed. I am interested in texture and surface and playing with non-precious unconventional materials. I follow an intuitive path, where disrespect for conventions is primary. I surrender to the rules of chance and natural intuition as I make and play.”
From an early age, she surrounded herself with art making. Her mother and grandmother were both artists, and while their skills were often used in a more practical and domestic environment, Macrae learned about creative possibilities in everyday objects and situations.
She studied civil engineering in college but found that her passion has always been for art making as well as engagement in community-based art interactions.
As a working artist, Macrae is represented by the SAM Gallery and Shift Gallery in Seattle. She is also a member of the Northwest Designer Craftsmen. On the side, she curates a rich variety of rotating quality art exhibitions for Era Living retirement communities.
“I seek to enhance and refresh the visual environment for the residents and provide a platform for conversations and connections between local artists and the community,” Macrae said.
