Paderewski Fine Art & The Sportsman’s Gallery, Ltd. in Nashville is pleased to announce the opening of Overstory/Understory, a solo exhibition of works by Atlanta artist Laura Adams.
Through paper collage, Laura constructs scenes of forests, wildlife, and wildflowers of the world. This exhibition will explore bird species that live high up in the canopy and those that live below or ground dwellers.
On view from May 3 to May 31, 2022, at 2120 Crestmoor Road, Nashville, TN, with an opening reception on May 6 from 5 to 7 pm. The gallery is open Tuesday through Friday 10 am to 5:30 pm and Saturday 11 am to 5 pm.
In Overstory/Understory, Laura Adams focuses on the hidden life amongst the trees – the inhabitants of the overstory and of the understory. For these works, she has created an idealized world for the creatures that live in the forest. Laura says it is “as if you had asked the creatures, ‘If I could create the perfect world for you, what would that world be?’ The answer I get is a world devoid of human interference, filled with native plants and flowers. The creatures commune in the forest with the trees and with each other.
“The life of a forest begins with its trees. Trees provide food, shelter, shade, and homes to a myriad of species. We as humans rely upon trees to create food, oxygen, and materials for building our lives. We also rely on trees to provide us with respite – a walk in the woods can cure mental and physical ills. New science has recently confirmed the secret and previously unknown life of trees – their ability to communicate with each other.”
Laura’s work reflects her deep appreciation of nature. For many years has been an avid hiker and bird watcher. While she draws inspiration from the collages of Henri Matisse, the watercolors of John James Audubon, and the colorful mosaics and paintings of Gustav Klimt, Laura’s artistic process is wholly her own. Her work is made entirely of cut paper and a clear acrylic medium, carefully composed and layered to form the final image. The result is a highly detailed and richly textured work. She collects and uses paper from all over the world, favoring the Japanese washi papers used for origami, Italian bookbinding papers, and textured fibrous papers from Mexico.
For more information or to acquire one of these works, please contact the Nashville gallery at 615-516-9766.
