Seager Gray Gallery announces an exhibition of abstract paintings by Chris Gwaltney, featuring works that have veered away from his well-known figuration in order to explore pure, non-objective expression. “The unconscious wants to be heard,” said Gwaltney, “so the meandering line, the color arguments and the empty space all reflect … something.” 

Abandoning the figure as a form to hold paint, Gwaltney takes us into an entirely different realm – that of mystery and grace. Operating without a net, there is nothing for the artist to do, but immerse himself in the process. So satisfying in the works is the amount of space and breathing room the artist brings in between the moments of energy and color. Lines like roots and branches move out into the open areas as if seeking water or light.

Reflecting on the experience of working on this series, Gwaltney notes “It reminds me of a comment by Leonard Cohen,’If you don’t become the ocean, you’ll be seasick all the time.” Without an object to cling to, he is left to navigate his unconscious, discovering delightful oases of color, shape and gesture.