California based artist Carmen McNall’s paintings are punctuated by deep woodcuts creating a balance between textured patterns and stretches of pure pigment. By combining painting with added wood carving techniques, the paintings are not just rich in color, but embody the idea of “handcrafted, ” a theme that is central in her work through both process and subject matter as hands play a recurring role. The faceless figures in McNall’s work resemble Goddess-like muses as they rest in dynamic yet effortless poses. Each one embodying strength, confidence, and wisdom. The figures are adorned with a novel blend of symbolic patterns and mark making. They rest within their own elements, surrounded by a complex yet tranquil interior landscape that inhabit both ancient and futuristic realms. Through this work, McNall explores the body as a vessel, a container that carries us through life, using both literal vessels such as vases and containers, as well as human forms. She investigates all that is held within us: memories, tension, energy, healing properties, intuition and how these manifest into movement. “My work is very planned out because of the nature of wood carving, every mark is permanent and therefore must be intentional. A lot of …

Kelly Ording’s works explore the fine line between minimalism and representation. Interested in the tonal and textural possibilities of a surface, Ording often begins her compositions by hand dyeing paper or canvas, creating an element of surprise and playfulness that offsets the mathematical rigor and precision of her use of bold color and line. Central to her work is the interplay of radiating color, unfolding shapes, and patterns. Ording often uses the word “meditation” to describe the act of line-making, where time for her moves in a poetic manner. The repetition becomes its own way of marking time and thus marking the human experience. Dynamic in nature, her paintings can be considered a vehicle to explore color theory, where overlapping patterns evolve and release tones. The balance of her compositions allow you to explore the emotive qualities of color. In addition to her works on paper and canvas, Ording’s public works and murals hang in San Francisco’s Clarion Alley and Unity Plaza, the headquarters of Facebook and Genentech, and other locations throughout the Bay Area and internationally. Her work is featured in the collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), the San Francisco Arts Commission Public and …