Forms of Devotion
Co-Curators: Joan Roberts Garcia and Karen Hymer
There are many types of devotion. Do they share characteristics, no matter what the subject is? Are there similarities in devotional rituals and forms?
Congratulations to all accepted artists:
Lori Andersen, Maria Aragon, Laura Balombini, David Berry, Martha Blacklock, Vicky Blacknall, Ben Brown, Maya Chacon, Vanessa Dearing, Kat Granat
Cheryl Hochberg, Khan Kay, Lisa Kirksey, Koopman Kathleen, Pat Lord, Susan Mach, Alivia Magana, Duane Marcus, Gillian Moore, Rachel Moore, Rachel Peach, Virginia Pirmozic, Elizabeth Pulford, Dan Ratliff, Mark Richard, Cecelia Stanford, Mark Timpany, Craig Wentz, Kit West, Zoe Wolfe
Dates: March 5 – 28, 2026
Reception Friday, March 6, 5 -7
The idea for this exhibition came from Co-curator, Joan Roberts Garcia, who shares her experience after viewing the frescos of Pierro della Francesca: “These are questions I have been asking myself, since embarking on an art piece entitled ‘Pierros Eyes’. This piece began with a sort of reverence for what I felt was one of the most beautiful paintings ever made- the frescos by Pierro della Francesca entitled the Legend of the True Cross, in Arezzo, Italy. I had seen these frescos on a trip and bought a book about them and their restoration.
At some point a few years ago, I was thinking of doing portraits again and decided to look at this book, as I had been so impressed by the breadth of expression on his subjects’ faces, shown in a variety of circumstances. Many of them were looking straight out of the wall at the viewer. As is my habit, I wondered how far down I could simplify the scenes and still retain the powerful essence. I asked if I could capture the emotions by showing only some of the eyes: stripping the subjects of their robes of station, their armour, etc., and showing only their shared humanity through their gazes. And so it began.
Out of reverence for a former artist who was a master of this craft, I began drawing the eyes I found most interesting. This was a different sort of piece that I did not want to control, so I put it aside when I worked on others. A total of 8 years passed. I was as careful as I could be, out of reverence and respect for the great artist. I learned a lot about the human eye from the careful yet simplified copying of eyes that were almost reptilian in their folds. I was in awe of the work’s details, visible from far below.
Later on a trip to the Rubin Museum in NYC, I was introduced to the Tibetan Thangka- a way of framing devotional work in brocades and silks that both protected and honored them. I loved the bunchiness of the folded cover at the top of the work. I decided to take my simple painting of eyes, done out of devotion to Pierro della Francesca, and in celebration of the work of artists, and place it in such a protective wall hanging format. This involved collaborating with others- sewers and even a carpenter- who is making a box for it to travel in safely.
While working, the questions at the beginning of this statement came to mind. My devotion was to art and artists- gratitude for a life making art and seeing great art, sharing in the endeavor with artists throughout the centuries and honoring that. Pierro della Francesca’s work was devoted to the knowledge of the human form, to humanity, and the religious subject he was hired to depict. The Thangka form was devotional in its intent, as a housing for a devotional work. And as a protection so as not to be exposed to the wrong eyes.
What other devotional forms and subjects would artists present if asked?”