February 2024 with Laurie Breen and Open Studios

The exhibit, “lost and found” runs from January 31st through February 21st at Artists & Makers Studios, with an opening reception on Friday, February 2nd, 5 – 8pm. Laurie begins each new painting with an open mind. She approaches the blank canvas with intuitive painting and drawing, piles of collage, lines, shapes, too many colors. She makes mistakes and creates ugliness. She builds up layers, moving toward chaos. Laurie often gets lost as she creates, but she forges ahead. She finds new paths and eventually reaches a place she could not have predicted but must have been heading for all along, a place of beauty and energy, balance and movement. Laurie’s paintings are full of saturated color, bright yellows, oranges, pinks, and reds, cool blues, and rich greens. There are pleasing shapes formed by layers of paint and drawing and collage. Her paintings evoke happiness and joy, even though her process may have been one of struggle. Look closely. Can you see the early layers peeking through? Do you see the history of the painting in the painting? Laurie Breen is a mixed media painter with a studio at the Gateway Arts Center in Brentwood, Maryland. Laurie has been painting, exhibiting and selling her work for over twenty years. Laurie is a three-time recipient of the Individual Artist Grant from the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Enjoy additional exhibits “Freudian” with Resident Artists – on view in the Gallery Hall, along with nineteen Gallery 209 Member Artists exhibiting their latest work. Shop and support local working artists, makers, and professionals.