THE WAY I SEE THINGS - THOMAS REALE
KARIN STANLEY - LIGHT AND STONE
Stewart Clifford Gallery September 17 -October 15, 2021
Reception Friday September 17, 2021 6-9pm
Thomas Real, Lines in the Sand, 2021 Photograph Printed on Metal 16 x 20”
For New England-based photographer Thomas Reale, it’s all about how best to capture his perception of what his camera lens sees. According to Reale, “I can never seem to walk somewhere in a straight line. I always see so many images that I need to capture.” But what becomes clear when looking at his body of work, Reale’s camera is simply a means to an end. What is captivating about his photographs is not just the subject matter, which ranges from urban scenes and the built environment to the great natural wonders to simple domestic impressions. Rather, it is Reale’s meticulous and exacting eye for composition, texture, color and cropping. His Provincetown images, for instance carefully consider all of these elements to perfectly chronicle that town’s patina of age and spectacular natural beauty.
“The way light and shadows hit an object. I am always being stopped in my tracks by something that catches my eye.” Reale says, “Architecture, landscapes, people, nature. Simple domestic settings. I see something interesting in all of them." Not satisfied to simply capture every image as his camera’s lens would dictate, Reale experiments with much of his work, turning up an image’s volume with color saturation and vibrancy when the subject calls for it.
Reale’s work has been shown throughout Boston at venues including the Liberty Hotel, Trident Bookstore/Café, 224 Boston Street, and The Ashmont Grill as well as various open studios. He has shown his work in San Francisco and Minneapolis and has appeared on the television program It's All About The Arts.
Karin Stanley, Whale Tail 2, 2018 Resin cast of Stone Sculpture 2.5x3x1.5"
Sculptor Karin Stanley, a native of Ireland, is an artist consumed with creating art that awakens the senses. It is art that not only wants to be experienced with the eye, but one that begs to be touched. A segment of her work, carved stone spheres, are deeply ridged, at once rough and smooth, dark and light… and though contemporary in form, hint at a Celtic origin. This is true with much of Stanley’s work, which is inspired by landscape and garden elements of Ireland and Scotland.
Stanley is captivated by Megalithic art, both powerful and simple, and her artwork often expresses this fascination utilizing stylized carvings that appear as hieroglyphs on her work. Some of the work is art for arts sake, while other pieces serve functions such as her series of sundials and garden fountains.
Stanley finds that music often plays a role in her creations, especially in commissioned works. “I like to shape and play with stone and create powerful and evocative and gentle work,” says Stanley, “Music is a major part of the process. Any commissioned piece I ask for a personal playlist so when I work I am thinking deeply with intent and mindful harmony with the sculpture.”
Whether working in carved stone polished steel, or mixed media, Stanley finds her creative motivations through multiple sources. “My inspiration springs from the fusion of music, poetry, and art,” says Stanley, “with a visceral response to the elements that awakens the senses, creating art that enlivens the spirit and daily experience both indoors and out.” In garden design and sculpture, Stanley’s work celebrates the movement of sun and shadow giving the viewer a sense of tranquility.