Listings Information Jackie Hurlbert : 26 May - 7 July

Jackie Hurberts strange sense of whimsy and slightly skewed view of the world make her a good fit for a venue that has a proven track record of delivering a more eccentric narrative to the art scene in Boise. 928 West Main Street Boise, Idaho, 83702 Tel: 208 333 0309

Basement Gallery

www.basementgalleryboise.com Open: Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm

Basement Gallery Press Release Jackie Hurlbert : 26 May - 7 July

The Basement Gallery is delighted to be hosting an exhibition of paintings and ceramics by Jackie Hurlbert, opening this Memorial Weekend on 26th May. Jackie Hurbert has an established career as a ceramic sculptor. It was this work that first bought her to the attention of the Basement Gallery. Her strange sense of whimsy and slightly skewed view of the world make her a good fit for a venue that has a proven track record of delivering a more eccentric flavor to the art scene in Boise. Jackie Hurlberts ceramics are not narrative in the sense that they tell a story, but the visual language that she uses does communicate something beyond representation or pure aesthetics. She has created a vocabulary of symbolism, where oversized feet denote the strength to stand alone, and exaggerated hands beckon you to step inside yourself. Clay serves as the vehicles for my meditation; it speaks without words. Everything that I feel is automatically transferred to the clay through my hands. This is my voice, not heard but seen. I invite you to communicate with me through visual imagery, creating a dialogue between yourself and the work. The surface of these sculptures are first glazed with a dark charcoal gray, emphasizing the form and acting as underpainting or a sketch for the painted surface that is then applied. As painting is such an integral part of Jackie Hurlberts process, it is not surprising to discover that this activity also spills out on to surfaces more conventionally associated with the medium. What is surprising is that she has rarely shown these paintings. She has kept this as a private preoccupation a therapy of sorts. We are very pleased to be able to introduce this, the other side of this intriguing artist. Pentimento is the faint trace evidence of alterations in painting a ghost image of a previous version documenting the journey of the artists mind with in the patina of the painted surface. This notion of reworking over past thoughts and inclinations, and the truth that these formative elements are never truly obliterated, are concepts that inform the way in which Jackie Hurlbert works. These past histories are important to the way in which the artist develops her content and imagery. She will rework a painting many times, often resulting in an entirely different picture than that which first inhabited her consciousness at the beginning of her endeavor. These layers of unseen narrative may only be fully known by the artist. For us, as the viewers, we are enthralled by a surface that hints at hidden secrets behind the veil. Jackie Hurlbert will be attending the exhibition opening on 26th May, 4.30 7pm and will be available to discuss her work. She is an established artist from Portland showing in art galleries throughout the Pacific Northwest and Southwestern states. She currently has work featured in the In Our Element show, which forms part of a new summer exhibition program at Portlands International Airport.

Basement Gallery

928 West Main Street

Boise

Idaho

83702

tel: 208 333 0309