Homer artist Rozzi Redmond’s exhibit “Interfaces with Alaska” runs for one more weekend at Homer Council on the Arts. Redmond describes her show as colorful abstract and impressionistic paintings.
“I internalize what I see, taking myself through a spontaneous path of color and form, mixing, matching and contrasting until everything sings together in harmony — like a walk through looking glass,” she said in a press release provided to the Homer News.
“I think Homer’s ready for abstract. There’s nothing to be afraid of, it’s just a way of painting and expression,” Redmond told the Homer News.
Redmond is a fourth-generation Alaskan. One of her first abstract painting courses was with Wassily Sommer at the University of Alaska Anchorage. One of the first paintings she sold was to former Homer resident, now deceased, Findlay Abbott. It was a painting of hers that was on display at an event in Anchorage in 1969 celebrating the 10th anniversary of Alaska statehood.
She completed her undergraduate degree in art at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Eventually she attended the Pratt Institute in New York.
“I would not trade that experience for anything. I grew intellectually and as an individual while living and working as an artist in New York City. The exchange of ideas with other artists was enlightening,” she said.
During her time in New York, she also entered art competitions and juried events.
Redmond describes the current show as “mostly abstracts about my experiences growing up in Alaska.” She said the show includes impressionistic landscape painting, as well. One of them is reflection of a sailboat trip she took from Seattle to Seward.
“When I look at the painting, it’s an exact memory experience of the event,” she said.
Included with the abstract paintings in the show, are brief verbal descriptions to help viewers interpret the work.
This is Redmond’s first gallery opening in Homer since moving to the community after spending several years in Paradise, California.
“When they had the big fire in 2018 is when I lost everything, some of my best paintings. That’s when I decided I would never hold back my best work anymore.”
The show at the Homer Arts Council will be up until Sept. 2.
