Cohen, Quail displays now open at Waseca Art Center

During a June 20 reception, the Waseca Arts Council introduced paintings by Gena Cohen and works by sculpture Brian Quail. These new works will be on display until Wednesday, July 24.

 

In the Harguth Gallery, Minneapolis-based artist Gena Cohen, dressed in jeans and a button-up shirt, was asked which painting is her most powerful at the moment. She presented, “Blue Tiger.” In the painting was what she referred to as “studio waste” which is garbage one would usually find in a studio waste basket. She pointed to a part of the painting that projected forward and explained it was bubble wrapping tape. She has bags of waste she keeps around in case she needs something from them. She also added, “Blue is the color of protection.” And noted that regular garbage collection doesn’t recycle plastic waste like everyone thinks they do.

 

Cohen said she her works have included portraits of some humans, but mostly animals. Her work in the Harguth Gallery was very textual, like something one could take a bite out of. Continued Cohen, “I fell in love with the arts at 18 years old. My first painting I just used my fingers; one hundred portraits later, I ended up taking a course. The beauty of abstract impressionism broke me away from portraits.” She alluded to having in storage over a hundred animal portraits including foxes, cats, and birds. In total she has closer to 400 paintings, “Each one of them takes me around two hours.” She pointed to an incredible painting of Joan of Arc and said, “Yes, that only took me two hours, I was done with it in one sitting.”

 

Since Cohen’s work is so thick, sometimes her canvases can shrink or the paint can clump off, “But if I lose a little bit of paint here and there, I can fix it easily.” She noted only once did a canvas become so warped she was uncomfortable selling it, “That one was just beyond repair.” She describes herself as, “A mixed media abstract expressionist.”

 

Sculptor Brian Quail was unable to attend the opening due to a scheduling conflict. Born and raised in South Dakota, Quail grew up surrounded by soybean fields and a love for steel construction. He says, “My work brings overlooked elements to life. Every sculpture begins with forgotten metal, discarded gears, pipes, chains and industrial scraps. I collect these worn, abandoned pieces and transform them into expressive works of art. In my hands, scrap metal is reborn and rebuilt into something meaningful, powerful and unexpected.”

 

After the introductions, guests were invited to the Tea Room for chocolate tier and sparkling cider to enjoy as they mingled with the artist.