Echo is an exhibit of two and three-dimensional work in fiber, clay, and painting by Deborah Cholewicki and Barbara Hranilovich.

Deb and Barb were drawn to each other, through mutual appreciation of their artwork, long before they met. Barb was entranced by Deb’s organic sculptural basketry and Deb had purchased two of every three fairy houses that Barb made along with several encaustic works. When they finally did meet, the friendship was immediate and has only grown since.

Deb and Barb talk often about creativity, motivation, the business of art, and inspiration. As Gallery Manager and Treasurer of Grove Gallery and Studios in East Lansing they have frequent impetus and opportunity for such conversations. Both are inspired by natural elements, Deb using natural materials in her weavings and Barb depicting nature in imagery and allowing art materials to do what they do naturally. Both women experience the healing transformational power in nature and in the processes of creating artwork.

Echo is the result of their working together on a celebration of nature and of the experience of making marks to create abstracted expressions of natural forms. This exhibit has allowed them to work in parallel, and see how the work of one might echo the work of the other, in marks, scale, shared materials…all which have become clearer while creating a shared body of work.

Deb and Barb have both been described as forces of nature. There is a freedom in their relationship, born of genuineness, that allows for them to push themselves and each other for what they hope might be a deep and dynamic depiction of the patterns, forces, textures, and balances of nature.
This exhibition is generously sponsored by Gary & Nancy McRay.