a collection of works by Eleanor Sweeney & Paul Pedersen
Finding Beauty in the Familiar shares a story of two perspectives from the first-place winners of Gallery @ LPCA's 2020-21 Juried Shows. From the swirling textures and colors highlighted by Eleanor Sweeney's playful photography to the warmth and light infused in Paul Pedersen's lifelike oil paintings, both artists seek to reveal what is extraordinary about ordinary objects.
Opening Reception
Thursday, January 13, 5-7pm
Gallery Hours
Wed-Sat 1-5pm
Eleanor Sweeney
I first started learning about photography in 1973, when I took a basic black and white course at the local community college. It seemed like magic to me then, and it still does.
Now that my photography is digital, I find I can play around even more than I could using film, and I like to stretch my imagination and that of the viewer by distorting the images and experimenting with the colors.
For this show, I tried my hand at creating some still lifes, something I hadn't explored much in the past. Objects became more otherworldly when I photographed them reflected in mylar or when I changed the colors and shapes of the images.
I've included some large abstract photographs from a few years ago because they convey a sense of mystery which complements the more recent work.
Paul Pedersen
Paul was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1950. He attended The College for Creative Studies, formerly The Society of Arts and Crafts in Detroit in the late '60's, early '70's where he studied "classical, figurative" sculpture under Master Sculptor, Jay Holland. At St. Lawrence University, Canton, NY he studied under the renowned painter, Kasarian Dane and most recently with the celebrated portrait artist, Numael Pulido. With special thanks to American Portrait Society award winning artist, Karin Wells, who continues to be Paul's friend, mentor and source of inspiration. Paul is a full-time, freelance artist living in upstate New York.
His works are found in private collections both nationally and internationally and have appeared in numerous galleries:
• Lake Placid Center for the Arts, Lake Placid, NY
• Frederic Remington Museum, Ogdensburg, NY
• Gibson Gallery, Potsdam, NY
• Arts Association of Northern New York, Sackets Harbor, NY
• View, Old Forge, NY
• The Shirt Factory, Glens Falls, NY
• A Point of View Gallery, Lake Placid, NY
• Creative Spirit Art Center, Potsdam, NY
• St. Lawrence County Arts Council, Potsdam, NY
