Parallel Places features the paintings of Owen Harvey and Michael Hunt who both explore abstraction from different starting points. While Harvey draws inspiration from his meditations on poetry, geometry, and art theory, Hunt references pop culture and folk art pulling inspiration from personal experience. Brought together by Star House Gallery & Studio’s curating artist Nina Isabelle, the show highlights the play between the two artists with patterns and themes echoing in the other’s work.

Owen Harvey is a former adjunct instructor at SUNY New Paltz’s foundations and painting departments, where he earned his master of fine arts. He received his bachelor of arts in painting from Bennington College. Harvey’s work has been exhibited in several group shows including at the Barrett Art Center Galleries in Poughkeepsie, Spike Gallery in Chelsea, and NURTUREart in Williamsburg. His drawings were chosen for the now-legacy Viewing Program at The Drawing Center in Manhattan.

Michael Hunt is a self-taught artist who earned his chops at his family’s sign-making business in Pennsylvania. His primary painting medium is sandblasted redwood purchased from a mom & pop lumberyard that bids on naturally felled redwood trees. His Cosmic American Art – an outsider hybrid which explores the limits and myths of the American Dream – has been exhibited in over sixty group shows in North America including CBGB’s 313 Gallery in New York City and the Wynwood Arts District Tour at Art Basel Miami 2004.

Star House Gallery & Studio features abstract, self-taught, and outsider artists and artwork and is the studio of artist and gallery coordinator, Nina Isabelle. The gallery presents shows designed to spark dialogue between the instinctive and the cerebral, with the intent to hold space for non-verbal concepts expressed through abstract art such as the language of intuition, authentic mark-making, and community building. The upcoming show Parallel Places generates a conversation about the nature of inspiration, repetition and variance.

Parallel Places opens Saturday, July 19th from 5-8pm with a musical performance by Alice Brightsky at 6:30. The show runs through Saturday, August 9th. The gallery will be open Saturdays from 5-8pm during show dates, or by appointment. On Saturday, August 9th, join us for the closing party and “13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird: A theory of painting,” an artist talk with Owen Harvey at 5:30 PM, and an artist talk by Michael Hunt to follow.

Parallel Places: Owen Harvey and Michael Hunt
July 19th – August 9th, 2014
Opening party, July 19th, 5-8p, Musical performance by Alice Brightsky at 6:30
First Saturday party, August 2nd, 5-8p
Closing party and artist talks, August 9th, 5-8p (talks at 5:30p)
Star House Gallery & Studio in The Shirt Factory
77 Cornell Street, Suite #316, Kingston, NY
Open Saturdays, 5-8p, and by appointment

To view by appointment call (814)777-6990
www.starhousegallery.com