Ann Chamberlin’s second solo exhibition at Craig Krull Gallery, Mixed Messages, features paintings that follow the “dramas of people amid quiet uncertainties.”  Her figures have a mythical and naive quality partially inspired by local stories from the artistically rich area of San Miguel de Allende where she has resided for many years. However, as she states, the characters may appear naïve, “but they are never really innocent and their awkwardness affirms the value of doubt in a climate of preposterous red clouds and sometimes truthlessness.” The paintings are small gouaches on paper or book pages, and oil paintings on copper or aluminum. Her fantasy approach to visual storytelling, with elements floating in space, time and water could be compared to a type of magical realism.

Mermaids misbehave, swimmers flail for survival, people wearing leopard suits cavort under tiny black rain clouds, and a merman is surrounded by the repetitive texts, me, me, me, me. Chamberlin’s scenarios are filled with unexplained, mysterious clues like a can of gasoline, an axe, a plate of nails and circular inset of knees referencing Fra Angelico. These enigmatic puzzles are usually laid out upon patchworks of color and patterned daubs that give the composition a cohesive, yet dreamlike staging.

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About the Artist