Olivia Barone
Anchor Staff Writer
RIC celebrated three of its own outstanding art students throughout February by showcasing 30, two-dimensional pieces in the Chazan Family Gallery. The collection, namely “Patina,” was produced by seniors Gabrielle Patrone, Erica Tedesco and Serene Lincoln, who recently completed her BFA at RIC.
In the pamphlet describing the “Patina” collection, Patrone conveyed her wish to reconnect with her past. Thus, she sought her grandparents’ photo albums and found inspiration. Utilizing the stories told in these photos, she curated pieces that walked the line between coherent and fuzzy memories via an unfinished, yet sound feel. Patrone’s use of vibrant colors overtop sketched lines captured the eye and helped the viewer to gradually build a story from her memories.
“Memory becomes tangible when one can locate where fragments of a particular moment fade and resurface,” Patrone described the effect of her paintings.
Tedesco used an earthy pallet to build layers of abstract shapes into portraits. She toyed with the differences in emotion that abstractionism and realism could convey, using the fine line between the two styles as her greatest tool. The loose shapes and colors of each piece melded together in harmony, giving motion to otherwise two-dimensional portraits. Each portrait Tedesco produced was of herself in the present, revealing the effects that perceiving oneself has on human eyes.
The final artist, Lincoln, used watercolor to breathe life into landscapes. Her lifelong admiration for nature fueled paintings of twisting roads and open fields quilted in golden light. Lincoln’s use of natural shapes reminded me of scenes built in my own memories of playing outside as a child.
“My watercolors seek to capture a moment of timeless appreciation,” Lincoln wrote.
Lincoln’s success was undeniable as each was a breath of fresh air cast from a sunlit landscape.
The collection was designed to evoke memory. Each piece mimicked the fragmentation of past echoes and the coming together of recollection. Walking into the gallery was akin to my own nostalgia as I uncovered the memories of these three incredibly talented RIC students and artists.
Those interested in experiencing the “Patina” collection and more can follow Patrone’s work on Instagram or visit her website. Lincoln’s work can also be found on both Instagram and her website.
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