Slate Gray South presents Re-Wired featuring expressionist paintings by Judith Kohin. In 2021, after her 25 years as the executive director of Ah Haa School for the Arts, Judith has “re-wired” herself and is finally pursuing life as a full time artist.
“I am most at home when I am outside, completely immersed in the wildness of the world. I want my work to convey the exuberance and vitality that I feel—alive! The natural world is a source of joy and ecstasy—I am in awe of its beauty, power and resilience.” - Judith Kohin
For Re-Wired, Kohin spent the past six months composing geometric shapes, linear marks, and patterns that ebb and flow from corner to corner. Layered through the pieces are various mixed media techniques including printmaking, drawing, encaustic wax, and painting on cradled panel. Having lived in Telluride for 37 years, she finds inspiration from the natural world around her. Whether it’s the vibrant colors of the sunset, the textures of a rocky cliff, the infinite lines in an aspen grove, or the diverse shapes amongst a patch of wildflowers – Judith soaks in each detail and pours it back into her art like a living memory. Like the erosion found in nature as the elements carve away at the Earth’s surface, Kohin echoes this through her deteriorating screens as each layer is printed. There is a meditative quality to the evolving patterns as the gradual decay of shapes progress from fluid, to rugged, to completely decomposed. Judith Kohin’s works exude a sense of tranquility, gratitude, moxie, and triumph – evoking the same feelings one can only find only in the great outdoors. It is in these moments with nature, one finds clarity, insight, and motivation to re-wire.
Written by:
KRISSY KULA, Curator & Gallery Director