On View: Six Women Redefine Abstract Art at Agora Gallery

Alli Gerrish, Moving On, 2024, Acrylic on board, 24″ x 18.″ (Courtesy: Alli Gerrish).

Agora Gallery is currently showcasing “On View,”  an exhibition featuring the works of six female abstract artists. The collection includes paintings and mixed media collages that exalt the gentle beauty of a woman’s touch, with each artist contributing her unique style to the theme. Characterized by spontaneity and intuition, “On View” invites contemplation through sinuous forms and tranquil palettes. Participating artists are Meredith Knox Barineau, Lenor Bingham, Alli Gerrish, Ellen Globokar, and Belle Roth. The show runs through August 17.

Fine Art Globe contributor Heather Zises had the opportunity to sit down with the Boulder-based exhibitor, Alli Gerrish, to discuss her views on the show and share aspects of her art and practice. Over the past two decades, Gerrish’s extensive body of work has encompassed painting, digital painting, prints, video, and narrative voiceover. Drawing inspiration from modern masters such as Elaine de Kooning and Cy Twombly and contemporary icons like Amy Sillman and Terry Winters, Gerrish’s art articulates the multifaceted process of metamorphosis and transformation. Her work is a dynamic journal, channeling energy and encoding iconography into abstract compositions of what Gerrish terms ‘artimation.’ Her work uses simple geometric shapes, soft patterns, and delicate tones to evoke a sense of relaxation and comfort.  Stripes, circles, and ellipses gently connect and intertwine, creating a serene visual experience. A recurring motif in her paintings is the hourglass shape, symbolizing the artist herself.  This decidedly feminine form represents the transformation of personal and societal vulnerabilities into visions of a brighter future dominated by joy and positivity. Gerrish’s unique creative process combines personal narrative with visual storytelling, showcasing the ongoing evolution of her artistic expression.

Alli Gerrish, Protection, 2023, Acrylic on board, 60” x 48.” (Courtesy: Alli Gerrish).

Heather Zises: “On View” features four of your paintings. What would you say is the unifying theme among them, and how does it connect to the overall narrative of the exhibition?

All Gerrish: When I look at the four pieces chosen for this exhibition, I see not only a story being told in each painting but a collective narrative with all the pieces combined. My work unfolds in a diarist style with a universal perspective. That is to say that each piece tells a story about a transition or transformation in some aspect of life or society, and while it can be or feel personal, each story also expands out to encompass others. So when I look at this show, I see first “The Weight of it All” expressing a burden or challenge and the need for change, leading next with “Protection,” depicting the truth of the universe having our back, on to “Moving On” allowing for the possibility of change and finally “Building with Dreams” expressing the power of intention. I think there is always a degree of spontaneity in painting, as we are constantly moving between order and chaos and back again. However, intuition plays a much bigger role in my life.

HZ: You’ve been creating art consistently for the past two decades, producing numerous series. Can you tell us about your most recent body of work and how it differs from your previous collections?

AG: For me, the storytelling quality is stronger as it becomes more personal all the time. These new paintings evolved out of the new visual diary I created when working in the digital realm. That medium is so much quicker for me that I think it allowed for a different kind of freedom to explore with new colors and symbols. After working in that digital space, returning to traditional painting was exciting, allowing me to use this new visual language in a more conventional medium. To be able to come back to bigger works, bolder brushstrokes and palettes. I am becoming more brave when it comes to sharing my work and realizing the expansive power of creating.

Alli Gerrish, The Weight of It All, 2024, Acrylic on board, 40″ x 30.″ (Courtesy: Alli Gerrish).

HZ: A recurring motif throughout your paintings is the hourglass shape.  What are the origins of this form, and what does it symbolize for you?

AG: For me, the hourglass shape is a simplified self-portrait. It spun out of a natural evolution, beginning with abstract figures, to abstract dress and dress forms, and then finally into this shorthand version of the hourglass. I relate to the idea of trying to represent truth symbolically through language and metaphorical images and this shape became my preferred way to insert myself into the story. It appeared first in my digital work as I was working so quickly, and it became a simple feminine form that I could place into whatever story I was trying to tell that day.

HZ: Your previous career in advertising involved creating voiceovers for commercials, and you’ve brought that experience into your art career, which is quite unique. Could you explain how you integrate voiceover work with your art?

AG: As you mentioned, my first career was in Television Production at an advertising agency called Hal Riney & Partners in San Francisco. I was part of the team that created work for the Saturn Car Company and along the way became the “real people” voiceover for the campaign. This led to a second career of being a voice talent for other ads, videos and audio books.

Several years ago, I began working on a digital video series titled “Diary of a Lockdown” that explored the personal, historical, and cultural challenges we face as a society today. As the stories of these “artimations” began to take shape I thought what if I could allow the viewer to not only see but to hear the story, so I began to add my voice and prose to expand the layers through language and music and the experiential videos were born.

HZ: What projects are coming up next?

AG: Along with some personal commissions, I have two big events coming up with Agora Gallery in the next year. This December I will be returning to Miami with Agora Gallery to participate in Aqua Art Miami during Miami Art Week. Then, for Spring 2025, I will participate in more new work in a group show at the gallery. I am looking forward to a busy and fulfilling year!