Aaron Gallery - SIDEWALK SALE

The Aaron Gallery is pleased to present OUR VERY FIRST SIDEWALK SALE!

Join the us on Saturday, July 24th to be a part of Aaron Gallery history! The sidewalk sale will be held in conjunction with regular gallery hours. Explore the gallery's current hanging, and watch the lovely Erin O'Hagan paint before picking up the marked down prints, posters, paintings, picture frames and other assorted gallery items that our sidewalk sale has to offer.

Come to 1717 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington DC between the hours of 9 am and 4 pm to revisit that painting you have been eying for years and find some great steals!

Contact info@aarongallerydc.com for further details.

Aaron Gallery - "Gallery's Own: An Exhibiton of Gallery and New to Gallery Artists"

Aaron Gallery is proud to present "Gallery's Own: An Exhibition of Gallery and New to Gallery Artists."

The show features paintings, sculptures and works on paper from such talented artists as Chico Harkrader, Ruth Ava Lyons, Jon Krawczyk, and Linda St. Clair.

Additionally, we still proudly present the work of internationally renowned artist Javier Cabada.

Stop by soon to see the Gallery's collection or take in Cabada's large-scale abstracts! The show runs until August 31, 2010

Gallery hours are Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 am - 5 pm and Sundays, 1 pm - 4 pm, and by appointment.

1717 Connecticut Ave NW

202 234 3311

www.aarongallerydc.com

Transcending the Physical Realm: The Abstractions of Javier Cabada

"Unfolding Abstract"

16''x20''

acrylic on canvas

On view until February 28th

Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 11:00am-5:00pm

When it comes to the work of Javier Cabada, it is not what he paints that truly matters, but how he paints it. The process of painting as a means of discovering the possibilities of the imagination is altogether more important than creating an immediately recognizable object. This is especially true of his abstracts where bold, vibrant color plays a vital role in establishing an effective composition. It is this ongoing seduction with color that brings Cabada’s paintings to life. When he embarks on a new painting, it is what is on his palette that comes before all else. He begins by laying down broad planes of paint with the palette knife. Thick passages of textural impasto paint handling grace the canvas in great sweeping gestures which are often followed by several layers of lighter, more subtle scumbling. This compositional foundation is then skillfully manipulated with smaller, more controlled marks until form emerges.

Many of Cabada’s abstractions bear a striking resemblance to improvised still life studies. Although he chooses not to impose any preconceived notions regarding subject matter and concept on his paintings, the line between representation and abstraction is frequently blurred. What begins as an exploration of color often evolves into the ambiguous suggestions of sculpted vessels resting among folds of drapery. The marks on the canvas are an inherent acknowledgement to the flatness of Abstract Expressionist painting while still alluding to elements of three dimensional space such as volume and weight. The forms present in the painting cannot quite be named, but they are rendered in a way which implies that they respond to light and shadow in a manner very similar to a physical object. The result is a merging of the physical and metaphysical to produce an image that is visually enticing.

Javier Cabada’s successful artistic career has spanned the course of many decades. Born in Barcelona, Spain in 1931, he has painted nearly every type of subject matter and experimented with a broad variety of materials since his first introduction to painting at the age of 17. Over the course of these many years he employed the use of many styles in the hopes of finding one that was best suited to him. Cabada compares this lifelong process to the methods of Pablo Picasso who continues to serve as a source of inspiration for him to this day. Picasso explored numerous styles of painting and evolved his work out of several distinctive movements until he finally came to what he was most renowned for. Cabada followed the same lead until his artistic investigations coalesced to form the work he is best known for today. Each artistic endeavor rests firmly on what came before it to produce a style that is mature and visually rich.

Jennifer Woronow

Javier Cabada has the honor of maintaining exclusive representation at Aaron Gallery and has been exhibited at many museums and galleries nationally and internationally. His paintings have been on view at Aaron Gallery for over 30 years and continue to be shown today. Cabada works and lives in the D.C. area and frequently enjoys paintings in front of visitors at Aaron Gallery.

Jennifer Woronow is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design where she received a B.F.A. in Illustration. She currently interns at Aaron Gallery while pursuing her own art.

Javier Cabada at Aaron Gallery

Beethoven
59''x59''
acrylic on canvas

It begins with the music. The first few gentle notes of a sonata drift through the gallery as Javier Cabada stands before a large, empty canvas. This white void serves not to intimidate him, but to provide an expansive playground for the possibilities of his imagination. Today he will be painting the portrait of a man he has known well for years but whom he has never met. With a decisive first few brush strokes, Cabada quickly breaks up the empty space by loosely mapping out the major landmarks of the face. Once this has been accomplished, he immediately dives into color using broad, sweeping applications of thick paint with the palette knife. As indications of light and shadow begin to emerge, he continues to sculpt the planes of the face with a series of long, jagged brush strokes that twist and turn with a bold spontaneity. The mood of the music gradually builds as the painterly elements of line and form intermingle with one another. Cabada continually steps back to contemplate his progress every so often. It is a dance guided by the sounds of the piano and intuitive response. This process continues for several hours until at last the image of Frederic Chopin is fully realized.

Javier Cabada’s successful artistic career has spanned the course of many decades. Born in Barcelona, Spain in 1931, he has painted nearly every type of subject matter and experimented with a wide variety of materials since his first introduction to painting at the age of 17. Although each of his endeavors have taught him something unique and insightful about what it means to be an artist, Cabada finds his greatest inspiration through painting large scale portraits of composers from the Romantic period. His passion for the music is always evident in his work. Even after nearly 40 years of painting the same people, he still discovers something new and exciting about each of them. To this day Beethoven, Chopin and Paganini remain personal favorites and are the most sought after paintings that he produces. For Cabada it is not enough to simply recreate the likeness of a composer, but to capture their personality and essence as well. He does this by immersing himself in the experience of listening to the music and expressing his own interpretation of it on canvas. The result is more than just a portrait. It is a glimpse of raw, human vitality.

The paintings themselves are highly expressionistic and push the boundaries between representation and abstraction. Heavily stylized paint strokes secure the physical similarities of the composer while also providing an ambiguity that allows for personal interpretation from the viewer. Though the paintings are grounded in the realm of the physical, they generously explore the delight found in the metaphysical. This is most effectively demonstrated through Cabada’s exceptional palette where vibrant color plays a crucial role in establishing mood and energy. He takes great liberties with the color he puts down in layers by creating unexpected variations which cause the painting to vibrate and evoke a highly emotional response. Each passage of color effectively activates the one next to it. Although many of his color choices are rather unexpected for rendering the tones of human flesh, they always coalesce together to form a perfect balance. His use of marks are equally confident. Often times he will mix color directly on the canvas or apply paint right from the tube in great globs that are enticingly tactile. It is moments like these where Cabada’s strength as an Expressionist painter truly shines. The results of the brush strokes and various marks are often left to objective chance, but are applied so deliberately that everything has a purpose within the composition.

When one views a painting by Javier Cabada, it becomes clear that his process is not merely about the act of painting, but the act of feeling alive. His enthusiasm for creating art and being moved by the music he loves is something which he regards as deeply spiritual. For Cabada, a painting must transcend its role as an object or style and reach its full potential by reminding people that life is full of illusions. In order to escape these illusions, we must look beyond what is tangible and contemplate what it means to us.

Javier Cabada has the honor of maintaining exclusive representation at Aaron Gallery and has been exhibited at many museums and galleries nationally and internationally. His paintings have been on view at Aaron Gallery for over 30 years and continue to be shown today. Cabada works and lives in the D.C. area and frequently enjoys painting in front of visitors at Aaron Gallery.

Jennifer Woronow
January, 2010

Jennifer Woronow is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design where she received a B.F.A. in Illustration. She currently interns at Aaron Gallery while pursuing her own art.

www.javiercabada.com

20th Annual Small and Miniature Show at Aaron Gallery

"Voracious Vehemence" by Josh George
mixed media on panel

Aaron Gallery’s “20^th Annual Small and Miniature Show contains a wonderful mixture of representational and abstract art, all of which are fascinating in their own way. There are the very, very tiny paintings, measuring no more than 3 x 3 inches, of Freya Grand such as The Sea, whose use of a monochromatic color palette imbues the pieces with a certain moodiness as well as strength. Josh George’s exquisite mixed media pieces present a powerful statement by the artist on man’s ability to wreak havoc upon himself so vividly depicted in his Pollution Makes Pretty Sunsets. The piece with its lush and vivid use of color does depict a “pretty sunset”, but this beauty is tempered by the fact that this is the result of the overwhelming clouds of pollution which literally consume the city below.

Sondra Arkin’s small delicate abstract encaustic pieces, with their subtle and soft colors, convey a sense of calm and tranquility to the observer, while Megan Chapman’s works, with their dark, yet very deep and intense colors, convey a sense of power and strength so aptly expressed in her piece titled Implosion. Carlotta Hester’s playful use of encaustic and melted crayon in her work evokes a wonderful sense of playfulness and charm in her pieces of which Lacing Through is a delightful example.

Joan Belmar’s well balanced combination of collage, acrylic, and oil paints is very obvious in his work, as is so well displayed in his La Noche de San Juan. The juxtaposition of “real” and “visual” textures in his pieces creates a sense of intricate detail while his use of layering and overlapping resulting from his use of collage creates a profound sense of depth and space as well. David Friedhiem’s small welded figurative sculptures titled Small Monsters are refreshing in their playfulness and childlike quality as they seem to run about and interact one with the other.

Aaron Gallery’s 20^th Annual Small and Miniature Show offers to the visitor a wide range of pieces that may be small in size, but are monumental in their overall effect. This writer would strongly suggest that you take some time and treat yourself with the opportunity to wander through this creative and delightful display of work at the Aaron Gallery.

Ron Riley is the President of the Foundry Gallery, located in Dupont Circle.

Reminder! The 20th Annual Small & Miniatures Show

There is still time to see The 20th Annual Small & Miniatures Show at Aaron Gallery! What better way to shake off that post-blizzard cabin fever than to see some amazing artwork? Due to the number of great artists involved, the show has been extended until the end of January. The exhibition features over 20 artists working in a variety of expressive styles, media and techniques. These intimately sized works make great gifts so please come by and experience the visual delight that our gallery has to offer.

Exhibition on view until the end of January

1717 Connecticut Avenue
202-234-3311
www.aarongallerydc.com

Gallery hours: Tuesday-Saturday
11:00am-5:00pm and by appointment


"Sturdy Durable And Secure. Regular Or Bullet Resistant
Josh George
mixed media on panel
12''x12''

Holiday Celebration! "The 20th Annual Small & Miniatures Show" at Aaron Gallery

Join Aaron Gallery for a taste of holiday cheer this holiday season at an open house celebration in honor of our 20th Annual Small & Miniatures Show! The exhibition features over 20 artists working in a variety of expressive styles, media and techniques. These intimately sized works make great gifts so please come by and experience the visual delight that our gallery has to offer. There will be refreshments, good company and some amazing art for your viewing pleasure!

Open house holiday celebration on December 19th, 2009 from 12:00pm-4:00pm
Exhibition on display until the end of January

1717 Connecticut Avenue
202-234-3311
www.aarongallerydc.com

Gallery hours: Tuesday-Saturday
11:00am-5:00pm and by appointment




Carlotta Hester
Encaustic on panel
8''x10''

The 20th Annual Small & Miniatures Show

Aaron Gallery is pleased to present a group exhibition of intimately sized paintings by over 20 artists from around the country working in a variety of expressive styles, media and techniqies. All work featured in the show is under 16''x20'' and would make a great gift for any art lover this holiday season. This is an opportunity that is not to be missed!

Additionally, the gallery currently features works by internationally renowned painters (and local art staples) John Blee and Javier Cabada, as well as New Mexico-based animal portraitist Linda St. Clair.Stop by and see some artwork!

Opening reception will be held December 4th from 6-8pm
Exhibition on view until the end of the month

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11am-5pm, and by appointment.
1717 Connecticut Ave. NW
202 234 3311
http://www.aarongallerydc.com/



Sterling Hundley
anon 64.2
Oil on panel
1'x1'

Aaron Gallery: 'Structures of the Sublime' - ongoing exhibition

Thanks to all those who came to our opening Friday night! It was a huge success and fun was had by all.

The exhibition, 'Structures of the Sublime', featuring work by Josh George, Carol Engles, and Kevni Conklin, puts an expressionistic spin on the timeless narrative of a cityscape: industrialism as it relates to color, form and movement, finding beauty and energy in the chaos we are all too familiar with.

Additionally, the gallery currently features works by internationally renowned painters (and local art staples) John Blee and Javier Cabada, as well as New Mexico-based animal portraitist Linda St. Clair.

Stop by and see some artwork!

Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11am-5pm, and by appointment.
1717 Connecticut Ave. NW
202 234 3311
http://www.aarongallerydc.com/

To see work by some of our artists, visit their personal websites:
Josh George: http://www.joshgeorge.com/
John Blee: http://www.johnblee.com/
Kevin Conklin: http://www.kevinconklin.com/
Javier Cabada: http://www.javiercabada.com/

Aaron Gallery: "Structures of the Sublime"

Join Aaron Gallery for an exhibition of paintings by Carol Engles, Josh George and Kevin Conklin. Cityscapes collide with color and expression, abstract form and shape, which gives the audience a taste of the city never before seen.

An opening reception for the artists will be held on Friday, November 6th, from 6-8 pm. The exhibit will be on display through November 30th, 2009.

1717 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington DC 20009
http://www.aarongallerydc.com/
info@aarongallerydc.com
202 234 3311

Available Parking: 2001 S Street, Location No. 531, 202.667.3030





"Voracious Vehemence"
Josh George
36''x48''
mixed media on board

"The Sacred and the Sensuous" at Aaron Gallery

An exhibition of new works on paper by Afsaneh Mirfendereski. Ms. Mirfendereski creates compositional gems in the delicate and multilayered medium of watercolor.

Join the gallery for a reception for the artist on October 16th, 6 - 8pm
The show will be on display from October 16th - 31st

www.aarongallerydc.com

"In the Arms of a Sleepy Fate"

Watercolor

4.5'' x 6.5''

New Exhibit: "Form and Freedom"

Last Friday, Aaron Gallery opened a new exhibition, "Form and Freedom", featuring the works of local artists John Blee, Carlotta Hester, and Sondra Arkin. It was a wonderful time and a big success. Thanks to all those who showed up. The exhibition will be showing through October 13th, so come by and see the work if you missed it!