Heather Gwen Martin’s vividly colored abstract paintings stem from a controlled fluidity, dictated by a transference of energy directly onto the canvas. Martin begins by making a series of preparatory sketches with pencil on paper, the physical movements of her hand gestures inform the painting’s trajectory. Thereafter, the artist prepares her paints which she mixes and records with precision. After a wash of color is applied to the background, Martin formalizes the composition with various biomorphic forms, interspersed amongst delicately sinuous lines. At times, the forms take shape from concrete references, other times they emerge from a response to something imagined. Supple traversing
lines serve to move the eye in and around the suspended shapes. 

To learn more about Martin’s work, the artist will be in conversation with curator Max Presneill to discuss her paintings and process at L.A. Louver this Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at 7pm. 

Heather Gwen Martin is on view at L.A. Louver through September 2, 2016.