Those familiar with the paintings of _Amy Spassov know well the thematic approach the artist uses in establishing a body of work.  What is less known is the effort and time that goes into unearthing that theme.  The road is riddled with findings and failures that ultimately lead to it.   The direction does not often make itself apparent or come willingly.  The spontaneous and impulsive mark making that so defines the artist’s work serves to tame this reluctance and dismantle the barrier that ultimately leads to the theme.  It is not without hardship, but neither were the times indicated in her new body of work, As I Recall.

For this exhibition Spassov inserts herself into the affairs of mid-century Spanish life as an observer who’s presence, while innocuous, clearly affects how the viewer perceives the subject.  The paintings are cinematic events that bring to life the jolt of time as it stops while our thoughts race on.  They are visual accountings of grand memories.  They are stories weighted on our recollections rather than actual events.  They are idealizations of power, pride, love, and love lost.  Each is vivid, filled with immense color and rendered in such a way that descriptive language only belies the experience.  It is Amy Spassov’s most complete and thoughtful work to date.

Join the artist for the presentation of her new work on June 6th, 2013 from 5 to 8pm.  A collector's preview will be held on June 2nd from 1-5pm at our studio location. Contact the gallery for more information. 

View the exhibit online

The pursuit of art is often an antisocial one.  An artist has a singular voice and the purpose of their art is to express a singular idea.  With that being said, art is nebulous.  The rules associated with that singular pursuit can be set aside to allow the viewer to meet Gretchen Gammell and Amy Spassov where they met each other; on common imaginative ground.
 
Mars and Pony is the collective name of this duo’s mixed media works and is a culmination of three years spent collaborating on a shared voice. The work is a dialogue of mutual inspiration and challenges.  By relinquishing control and ego, their joint trust in one another allows a new voice to emerge.  Together, these artists blur the line between where a painting begins and finally comes to completion.  

"Nouns" the debut solo show for Mars and Pony opens April 4th, 2013 at Hall Spassov Gallery. View the work

collage and paint on paper 

There is a genuine curiosity in the work of Amy Spassov.  It seems spontaneous and impulsive yet is anchored by its style and the elements found within.  It is as if Spassov is trying to convey message in a language derived from one we understand but don’t fully grasp other than knowing it is captivating and beautifully inquisitive.  
 
The artist uses familiarity and a disarming pallet to entice the viewer.  However, if one can momentarily set aside this comfort another truth of the work is revealed; a plot twist if you will.  It is a well-executed artistic MacGuffin meant to obscure intention and allow for alternative outcomes.  If the exhibit feels nostalgic, tensioned or theatrical it is due in large part to the Hitchcockian flare with which each piece was completed and as irony would have it the man himself makes a cameo.
 
While the exhibit is a subtle departure for Spassov the artist has decisively claimed identity and purpose with her most recent offering.  Amy Spassov’s work is certain and affecting and is her most mature work to date.