No Beginning. No End.​

This statement captures the ideas behind a recent collaboration with artist, Rachel Doniger.  No Beginning, No End is a painted diptych paper relief that will be a part of the 2020 Pink Progression: Collaborations show at the Arvada Center.

“Delicate cuts trace a richly painted paper surface in a complex and undulating form. Traces of light-reactive metallics dust the surface, responding to changes in surrounding light. Shades of cerulean and sapphire wash down the toothy surface of the paper, creating an expressive looseness that balances the control of the cuts and folds. The folds give the surface sculptural volume when the viewer moves around the work, revealing depth inherent to the negative spaces. The surface is always changing — in relationship to light and in relationship to the viewer.

What we — Jessica Loving and Rachel Doniger — have in common as artists, is a commitment to thinking intensively about elements of mark, line, surface and space. A sense of tactility resulting from this intentionality exists in both of our work. When we decided to collaborate, it was clear the unique methods of working we’ve developed as individuals would guide the process. We began with small studies passed back and forth to test different materials and techniques to see how we could best combine our practices and methods. Ultimately, we both made some changes to our typical practice. Jessica moved from canvas to paper and Rachel engineered a new method for making stable folds with the added weight of several layers of paint. Work was completed in our individual studios. Jessica began the process with her layered painting before handing the work to Rachel to sculpt the surface into its final form.

This work was completed in the weeks leading up to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, but meaning can sometimes crystallize into form with the benefit of hindsight. No Beginning and No End can be understood to express the connection we all share with one another. Individual marks or cuts formed with their own characteristics are unique when examined up close; once one steps back, these singular moments become part of a larger, breathing form… one that is of the collective.”

Rachel Doniger

Please be sure to check out Rachel’s intricate paper reliefs: https://www.racheldoniger.com/

Pink Progression: Collaborations

Pink Progression: Collaborations takes over all three of the Arvada Center’s galleries in a spectacular celebration of the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, guaranteeing and protecting women’s right to vote. The exhibition recognizes consecutive dates in which all women received the right to vote in America.

The artist collective Pink Progression rose out of the 2017 Womxn’s March to inspire social change and explore ideas of feminism, equality, inclusivity, gender identity, unity, and community through creative expression. For Pink Progression: Collaborations, creatives fused their narratives into multidimensional works, ranging from site-specific installations, video, performance, and traditional fine arts.

Free and open to the public
June 25 – November 8, 2020

Learn more: https://arvadacenter.org/events/pink-progression-collaborations